Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ A Betting Crowd ❯ Part 2, Cutting the Losses ( Chapter 2 )

A Betting Crowd

 

A Full Metal Alchemist fanfiction, By Serenanna

 

Part 2 - Cutting the Losses

 

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later after, promise. There is adult content and sexual situations in this story. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy! There is also aggressive teasing, rough foreplay, and creative use of office and library type settings in this fic, including elevators. Yes, I said elevators. If those hentai thoughts alone aren't enough to ward you off, hang on for the ride.

 

Story Notes: Time frame for this fic doesn't matter as my knowledge of FMA is a bit scattered but obviously before the ending and Maes's death. Also, this is a Roy and Riza fic along with implied Ed and Winry. This fic should be viewed as taking place between Overhaul, and Overhaul 2: The Tune Up (still being written) as there are some minor connections. Being this is fanfiction, liberties were taken with the actions of the characters and certain parts of the fic are not canonal, I just don't know which ones. Certain clichés usual to Roy and Riza fics are also being tossed out after having a lengthy discussion with a military vet and making sure the clichés weren't canon. If it goes against the grain of what you like in Roy/Riza fics, tough. I also don't know the exact layout of their offices, so I'm winging it. This fic hinges on substantially romantic plot, is really, really long in each chapter, and is considerably hentai. This chapter in particular is considerably hentai. No, really, it's about 70 percent lemon from here on out. Read the above disclaimers again if you're still squeamish, but I assure you, it'll be worth it. No tubular pieces of fabric called skirts were harmed in the production of this dirty piece of smut . . . well . . .

 

**********

 

By the time the door was closed, Riza had gotten a grip on her torrent of emotions enough to only glare imminent death at the three subordinates gawking from their desks. She wouldn't kill them, but if they asked what just happened between her and Mustang . . .

 

That look was enough to send them back to focusing on their paperwork. She stomped over to her own desk and began riffling through the drawers, pulling out boxes and a large wooden case. She knew she kept all this ammo hidden in her desk for a good reason, along with the bigger guns. This would be enough to keep her from killing him, for now, and enough to give her time to grieve. She was a fool, a god-damned fool. To think she said that to him, to Roy Mustang, the ultimate ladies man of Central, her boss. To think that she admitted she loved him. To think she actually believed him when he rejected her. He had to be lying, trying to protect her again like the idiot bastard he was, but all her nagging doubts just shouted back that she just in denial. She didn't know what to believe as she slammed her fist down onto the table. Three pairs of eyes looked up at her at the sound, almost terrified in the coldness of her glare. She needed to get out of there.

 

“Gentlemen, I am going back to the shooting range for two hours, these are your orders for those two hours,” the Lieutenant said as she pushed all emotion from her voice, “Fuery, in five minutes you are to go into the Colonel's office and retrieve every signed piece of paper in there no matter where they are, then make sure they all get filed, Havoc is to help you with the second part, you are to tell Mustang exactly where I went, when I will be back, exactly how much ammo I took with me, and that I'm carrying the .45 caliber set as well so that if he wants to talk, he knows where to find me, you are not to ask what any of this was about, and anything you've heard at all today it is not to leave this department, if the Colonel tried to leave the building early, you are to stop him, and all your regular work must be close to done by the time I return, if any of these orders are disobeyed, I will shoot you in places you will remember, am I clear?”

 

Three heads nodded dumbly at her and she turned, leaving. Once she was gone, they let out the breaths they'd been holding since the shouting had started minutes ago. In the aftermath, Havoc seemed like the only one not scared into silence as he muttered with a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth, “Anyone want to place a bet on Mustang surviving the day without a bullet in him?”

 

***********

 

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, almost a blessing to Roy after everything that had happened. He wanted nothing better than to go home and get plastered. Anything to forget Riza for just a little, and those kisses. He would have been home already if it weren't for her orders to the three other men. It was ironic that his orders outranked hers, but their fear of her drove them to mutiny with the slightest threat of flesh wounds. Admittedly, he was scared of Hawkeye at the moment too. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. He probably should have amended that to hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and carrying loaded guns and a good reason to shoot first. The set of .45 caliber semi-automatic handguns she kept for `special' occasions were threatening enough. On top of that taking four boxes totaling four hundred bullets with her was enough to send him back to his desk without needing his men's mutiny.

 

He couldn't blame her, but at least she was blowing off steam on targets rather than on him.

 

When she did come back half an hour later than the two hours she said, Roy looked up from his paper at the sound of the door. Their eyes met, and suddenly he felt very, very sorry at the pain he saw in there. She looked away first, moving slowly over to her desk and falling boneless-ly into the chair. Not once for the next one and a half hours did she turn to look at him. She looked miserable behind her normal cold look. He couldn't blame her for cracking. The only person he could blame was himself. How could his day have gone this wrong? It was one stupid bet, but it had turned into so much more than he expected. Maes was right, she would be mad at him forever, even if it wasn't over losing the bet.

 

Maybe this wasn't the right choice after all.

 

As much as he wanted to believe that, he couldn't. It was too hopeful to think about, wasn't it? That he could love a woman, and be loved in return without feeling guilty over it? Hadn't he paid enough for being a murderer? With a wince at that thought, Roy knew that he had only scraped the surface of redemption. There were still battles, still missions, still people dying in their world when there was no need. If he could still make a difference, he would try, but . . . was it right to give her up in the process? In all practicality, Roy needed her help. He needed the support of all his friends. It was too much to handle alone. Snorting a chuckle, the dark-haired man realized that he could use some of that help right now. It wasn't like he was going to get any work done right now anyway.

 

He stood up and closed the door slowly, taking one last glance at Riza as she was busy cleaning and oiling her firearms. She didn't even notice when the hinges squeaked. Holding back a sigh of regret, the Colonel locked it then picked up the phone on his desk. There was only one person who could probably help him now as he dialed the rotor with the numbers of his extension. It rung twice before being picked up with a crackle of sound, “Investigations, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes speaking.”

 

“I don't suppose you could find my sanity for me?”

 

“Roy? What are you doing calling me with only half an hour left in the day? I thought you'd been trying to give Riza the slip around now, and setting me back thirty?” Maes asked, his voice sounding exceedingly surprised.

 

“Part of me wishes I could . . . and part of me wishes this day was longer.”

 

“. . . You sound like you need a drink . . .”

 

“You think?”

 

“Of course I think, it's why I got stuck in Investigations.”

 

“Maes . . . how much time you got right now?” Roy asked, unaffected by the mild joke, “This is going to be a long call.”

 

“That bad?”

 

“Yeah . . .”

 

“It's one of those social problem calls, isn't it? It's this damned bet again?”

 

“Part of it, but yeah, this is one of those cases when I only wish it was work-related.”

 

“Damn . . .” Maes cursed, his voice low. There was shuffling on the other side of the line as Roy winced. He heard a door close then the sound of the phone being juggled before he heard Hughes again, “You're lucky I finished this de-briefing early with one of my field agents . . . what the hell happened now?”

 

“. . .”

 

“Roy, what is it? You've had that tone of voice again.”

 

“What tone of voice?”

 

“The one you've gotten since you came back from the War whenever you're thinking too damned much.”

 

“Thank you for pointing that out to me,” the Colonel said darkly, not meaning for it to come out as sarcastic as it did. From Maes's gruff murmur, Roy knew that wasn't the smartest thing for him to say at the moment. “Is this going to be one of those talks where I gotta just listen to you being all depressed and whining?” he asked, “Or do you really want my help?”

 

“. . . Help?” Roy asked, probably sounding desperate. Well, he kind of was. Sighing, he leaned against his desk facing the door and just about sat down on it, the phone behind him as the cord trailed behind him. How could he get the help he needed from Maes without revealing entirely what was plaguing him? Somehow he pictured that his friend would be all too enthusiastic over him and Riza to be objective. There was only one way around spilling his guts, “I just need to ask a few introspective questions of someone, and you're about the only friend I got who isn't going to blab to all of Central, and . . . who's more familiar with . . . something.”

 

There was a long pause on the phone, and he could almost hear the wheels turning in the Lieutenant Colonel's head in the silence till he said, “I'm listening.”

 

“When you were dating Gracia, when exactly did you `know'? Did you just get used to her the more you dated, or was there just this moment when you . . . `knew'?”

 

“When I `knew'? Do you mean when I realized I was going to marry her?” Hughes's voice rose in shock, tense by the time be finished the question. Roy cringed at that word, marriage. That felt worse than if he had said love, but it fit from Maes's perspective. “Well, not that much, but . . .” he started to say, “At least when you realized it was more that just dating her.”

 

There was another pause on the phone, “You're asking me when I realized I loved her, aren't you?”

 

“Well, you do, don't you?”

 

“Of course, I do, she's the love of my life, the mother of the second love of my life, I just never had anyone ask me that question before, and I never imagined it would be you to ask it.”

 

“Too personal of a question to ask?”

 

“For you, maybe . . .” there was another pause, and Roy felt like hanging up before Maes realized why he was asking, “Mustang, you never have talked about your life during the war, or about your personal life now except the obvious, and you never have been too forthcoming about the details in your life, even with your good friends, so forgive me because the sudden interest in mine is a bit unnerving.”

 

“Maes-.”

 

“Wait, I'm not going to ask why you're asking now though since I can just about guess, I'll just answer you anyway,” Hughes breathed into the phone, a long exhale that almost sighed, “I `knew' when kissed you the first time, which was the second date.”

 

“Really? You didn't get to first base till the second date?” he asked, snickering darkly.

 

“Some of us aren't blessed with the natural gift of making women fall all over themselves, thank you,” Maes said, sounding almost bitter, “But I think you're missing the point.”

 

“Sorry, what's the point?”

 

“The point, my friend, isn't when I realized I loved her, but what I felt like when it happened.”

 

“Which was?”

 

“It felt like I was home, at peace, finally.”

 

Now it seemed more complicated that he thought it was. Home, that was so different of a concept than from when he kissed Riza. It hadn't felt like that at all, and definitely not the peace he spoke of. He felt weakened in all the heat, like he was holding onto something bigger than himself and was drowning in it. It felt like being lost, almost the opposite of being at peace. Maybe he had been wrong about everything. He was panicking thinking over that till Maes asked the obvious, “Something wrong?”

 

Roy bit the inside of his mouth to keep the panic down, thankfully sounding normal when he spoke again, “Yeah, a little, nothing major . . .”

 

“You're a terrible liar when you're this depressed.”

 

He groaned, slumping down further onto the desk, “I must really be obvious then,” suddenly, it didn't seem worth it to hide any longer, “I kissed her.”

 

“Kissed her? Kissed who? Riza?” Maes seemed to start on the other side of the line, “You did! You kissed Riza! And this is why you're all depressed?!”

 

“It's was a little more that just kissing . . .” Roy admitted, unable to help the grin as Hughes sounded like he was choking and sputtering in the shock, “Just don't get your hopes up . . .”

 

That made the Lieutenant Colonel stop, “. . . You did something stupid didn't you?”

 

“. . .”

 

“What did you do? Chicken out?”

 

“. . .”

 

“You couldn't get it up?”

 

“Maes-! That is not the fucking problem!” Roy nearly yelled into the phone, reigning in his voice before the office heard more shouting, “That's the absolutely last problem I'd every have with a woman.”

 

“Then what is the problem? If I was you right now, I'd be happy as clam, for goodness sake, you kissed her, that beautiful woman!”

 

“This from the married man, your opinion doesn't count since you're always as happy as a goddamned clam,” Roy grumbled, now regretting telling him, “This is pointless, I should haven't even asked you, I can figure it out on my own.”

 

He was about to hang up, finally, when Maes voice stopped him, “Roy, wait . . . I don't know exactly what happened between you two, and I know you always make things more complicated for yourself then it needs to be, so I'll tell you this as a friend . . . she loves you, and you love her, I noticed it after the first week of working with you two, you both are just too damned proud and messy of people to realize it, and I've always, always, wanted to tell you to quit running round with those stupid women you tend to like, and just-!”

 

“You knew?”

 

“All of Headquarters knew it would happen eventually, it just might take the heat death end of the universe for it to happen, never imagined it would take some stupid bet to bring things to a head,” Maes chuckled, and Roy groaned. So much for discretion, but somehow he wasn't surprised in the least. Hughes voice stopped when he noticed that Mustang was being silent. Apparently this was far more serious than he thought. “All joking aside, Roy, whatever you're worried about, you should just stop and, well . . .” he started to say, taking a moment to put it into words till the most simple of phrases occurred to him, “Let it go, what ever it is, let it go.”

 

“Is it that easy to just let go of something?”

 

“No . . .”

 

“Did you really feel at peace when you realized you loved her?”

 

“Yes, but . . .”

 

“But what?”

 

“But I'm not as complicated as you, and I don't worry so much, loving her was about the easiest thing for me to do in my life, I didn't second guess it, which is probably why you called me, you always are second guessing things aside from your own orders,” Hughes said, giving a small chuckle, “If you do love her, really love her, like I'm sure you do, you don't need me to tell you, you already know it.”

 

“Thank you . . .”

 

“It's why I'm here.”

 

“One more thing . . . Gracia knows just about everything about you, right? You've never hidden something from her?”

 

“You mean do I keep secrets from her?”

 

“For her own good?”

 

“Some things about our work I do skip over the details of, like the case of Nina Tucker, I think she's happier not knowing the extent to which Shou went for his work, it still churns my stomach to think about.”

 

“You're not the only one, but, doesn't she every wonder?”

 

“She wonders, sure, but when she asks about how Nina was killed, I shoot one look at Elysia, shake my head, and she drops it, I think deep down she understands that it's better if she doesn't know, it must be the look we get in our eyes with all the horrors we've seen, each one of us in the military,” Maes said as Roy nodded emphatically even if his friend couldn't see it. That was one reality of all their lives he agreed with whole-heartedly. Sighing, the Colonel frowned, thinking back over his own secrets. Could he tell Riza about how he murdered the Rockbells? About all the Ishbal people he killed too? Well, she killed people as well, but most of them were life and death, criminals, murderers in their own right, not wholesale slaughter, civilians. But . . . maybe out of all of them in the office she'd understand. If he loved her . . . “Roy?”

 

“Yeah, I'm still here, just thinking, again.”

 

“Tell her.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Whatever it is you're holding back on, tell her then let it go.”

 

“Why don't you tell Gracia then too?”

 

“Some day I will, when I don't keep seeing my little Elysia instead of Nina some nights . . . or some of the other children we've seen.”

 

“Thanks, Maes, I'll think I will tell her after all . . .”

 

“Does this mean she's winning the bet too?”

 

Roy chuckled as everything eventually today seemed to come back to that stupid bet. Shit, and he'd almost forgot about it too. “I'm not answering that, do your job and investigate it when the day is over,” he said, grinning to himself.

 

“Little Ed's right, you really are a bastard colonel,” Hughes said, his voice sounding jokingly upset.

 

“Leave the brat of pip-squeak out of this, his opinion of me is based on the misguided opinion that my sole reason for existence is to annoy the living shit out of him.”

 

“Which of course it isn't, it's to get drunk, boss around everyone else under you, including FullMetal, and now probably to bend Riza over your desk and lift up that frighteningly small and figure hugging skirt.”

 

“Maes-.”

 

“I can only wish Gracia worked under me, that elevator is just about perfect to-.”

 

“Good-bye, Maes.”

 

“But Roy, you can't tell me you haven't once thought about-.”

 

“That's on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know, I'll see you tomorrow, Hughes.”

 

“But I'm betting Riza needs to know-.”

 

Roy hung up the phone with a relieved if annoyed growl, still sitting on the desk in front of the office door. He let the talk with Maes wash over him, alleviating some of the confusion and uncertainty running through his head. Simple answers were his forte sometimes, as well as his intuitiveness, which was probably why he was in Investigations and Mustang wasn't. He was probably right. He should just let it all go. Slowly, Roy stood up and opened the door again, peeking out at Riza. She was busy writing something, probably another memo to be typed up by the secretarial pool and then signed by him. Was Maes right? Should he just . . . let it go? No, he'd never let it go completely, not till he was dead, Fuhrer, or at least in a place of making a difference. But maybe he could let it go enough to make her happy, and to keep his sanity. Roy opened the door all the way then turned his back, walking to his desk.

 

Back in his chair, Roy's eyes focused on her again. His heart thumped again in that endlessly annoying way, and he let it go. Suddenly, it didn't seem so annoying anymore. He really did love her, even if it didn't feel like how Hughes had described it. The thumping went away as the word resounded more in his head, love. It didn't feel so bad the more he got used to the idea too. Maybe once he calmed down and stopped fighting it, it would feel like that peace, like having a home. For a moment, her eyes glanced toward the open door and him before sliding back over the paper. The pain he'd caused was still there in her stare. He winced, a different kind of guilt setting in, one more personal. What had he done? It wasn't too late, was it?

 

Riza dropped the pen as he kept watching, sighing as she leaned her head on her hands. She looked miserable as a light flush spread over her cheeks. He caught her eyes drifting towards him again, and Roy smiled as he looked away. He'd seen enough to know that no matter how big of an idiot he was, and he was a really huge asshole of an idiot, she didn't hate him, yet.

 

It just might work.

 

He could make it work, right? Of course he could. He was Colonel Roy Mustang. Nothing ever stopped him before. Not Brigadier Generals, chimeras, mad alchemists, or problematic pint-sized ones. He inhaled deeply then exhaled just as much. No more running, no more hiding, and certainly no more half-assed heroics. He loved First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye . . . enough to let her make the choice. Nothing ever had stopped him before, except the sight of the woman he didn't know he loved in a short skirt and heels. Roy pulled out two sheets of paper from one of the desk drawers and a newly-filled pen, and then began to write.

 

***********

 

Why did things have to go so wrong? Even after scaring the daylights out of the shooting range techs, she didn't feel any better. It was a first when raw anger released in firepower didn't improve her mood at least a little. Ok, so maybe she was feeling better. She didn't want to kill Roy now . . . she was just depressed over him. Every word she'd said to him she'd meant from the bottom of her heart, the depths of which were shocking even to herself. Somehow kissing him had made everything feel so right, more right that now everything seemed empty. It was going to be hard going home to just Hayate, and lots of chocolate. For a moment, she went back to hating the Colonel, if only because of the looming prospect of how much chocolate, ice cream, and then strenuous exercise it was going to take to keep him out of her thoughts.

 

At least this hell of a day was over.

 

She slowly packed up, standing in front of her desk as the men were doing the same, filing the last of the papers. The main office door opened, and in walked Private Scieszka, who was smiling despite the load of books she carried, at least until she saw Riza's face. She set the books down on her desk, and the First Lieutenant forced a small smile on her lips that didn't reach her eyes. “Books the Colonel requested, he's been doing a lot of research lately,” the bookworm said as she pushed her glasses up.

 

“They're mostly for FullMetal, I figured it would be easier to condense the request lists since he reads so much.”

 

“No wonder one book was on sartorial alchemy changes, maybe he's trying to make natural looking double-decker shoes to make up for his stature,” Scieszka said as the blonde's smile turned into a smirk before faltering in a frown, “You didn't persuade him, did you?”

 

“I'm sorry, I tried, he's-.”

 

“A bastard?”

 

“No, just stubborn, and stupid, and-.”

 

“Looks really good in a uniform,” Scieszka said softly so the others wouldn't hear, grinning madly, “I won't hate you so much if you at least tell me he kisses as well looks.”

 

Riza went red, wanting to forget all about it along with the bet, “I didn't kiss him, we were just-.”

 

“Talking? Really close together?”

 

“I fell, heels are dangerous you know,” she tried to convince her, but the brown-haired young woman's grin was still in place, “It doesn't matter, I lost anyway, the day's just about over.”

 

“There's still hope, maybe if you-.”

 

“And pigs fly.”

 

“I haven't seen any bacon in the air yet, but that doesn't mean someone won't launch one for their State Exam,” said a rough, but jokingly serious, voice from behind them. Both women jumped to see the Colonel standing close by, wearing his black overcoat and carrying a brown leather satchel. Her heart sank a little at the sight of him ready to go home. Apparently, there would be no further talks between them today. And yet, oddly enough, there was a large envelope in his hands. Riza didn't remember giving him one today from any of the inter-office mail. Before she could ask, Roy practically shoved the parcel into her hands, and walked past them, “Read it out loud before everyone leaves, just a small announcement.”

 

She blinked in surprise, but he was gone out the door before she could utter another word. Scieszka poked the blond commanding officer in the side till she snapped out of it, almost glaring till she remembered the envelope. By now, Havoc, Fuery, and Breda had noticed it as well, especially since Mustang didn't even stop to say good night to them. As the men gathered around her, Riza pulled out piece of paper within, her mouth dropping open in shock as it only had two words written in large text.

 

The Private pulled the paper from her hands, reading out loud for her as she suddenly went mute, “`You win'? You win! You won the bet! We win!”

 

“No!” Jean cried, nearly swallowing the spent butt of the cigarette hanging in his mouth. He yanked the paper from the young woman who pounced towards him to snag it back. Havoc turned his back to fend her off, too enraged as he read it to let anyone else get close, “No, no, no, no, noooooo!”

 

The sudden simultaneous joy and anarchy erupting around her were lost on Riza as she stood there numb. That was it? All he had to tell her was that she won? So what if she won? What kind of response was that!? Enraged as well, she yanked the envelope open wide to search for something, anything, more. Maybe he had anticipated that as she blinked while seeing a neatly folded piece of paper in the bottom with her name on the outside. Suddenly her heart was in her throat. She pulled it out and turned away from them before anyone caught her with it. Besides, disciplining Havoc and Scieszka for fighting over the winner of the bet was the last thing on her mind as she read Roy's letter.

 

Riza,

 

As you know, you've won. It probably seems like a small thing now, and it probably is, but at least it's a piece of closure. I probably should be telling this to your face, or at least watching as you read this, but I'm too much of a coward. Out of everyone who trusts me with their lives, you alone deserve the truth the most. And that truth is that I was wrong, and that I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to hide the darkness in me from you, or used it as the reason to push you away. Out of the two of us, I should have realized sooner that you are the stronger one. The truth is that yes, I've done unforgivable things I am still paying for. Things I was ordered to do and I obeyed. I have killed people, innocent people. Ask me and I'll tell you the full story, if still you want to hear it.

 

I am not a man to look up to or protect for what I've done, but you're not leaving that choice up to me, are you? I may not see it but you do. You never did believe that I'm the bastard everyone says I am, or the soiled soul I have condemned myself to be. Thank you, for believing in me. But . . . I also lied to you. Having you love me is enough. But, I know asking you to feel that way about me after shattering it before it even began would be too much. All I ask for is just your forgiveness, and to be your friend again. At least, if you don't file for a transfer out of the department in the morning, I'll know that you have forgiven me. I could live with that. Everything else? I think I'll leave that up to you.

 

I love you,

 

Roy Mustang

 

The envelope dropped from her hands even if she still clutch to the letter, nearly crumpling it. He did love her. She wobbled on her heels as her knees weakened. That horrible, wonderful bastard still loved her. He loved her! She probably would have shouted it and shattered her ice queen image forever if it wasn't beyond her capacity to speak at the moment. Scieszka noticed her sway a moment, blinking in concern, “You ok, Lieutenant?”

 

“I-,” she started to say as she quickly folded up the letter, but held onto it, looking around the office while the others were still arguing over the validity of her two word victory. For a moment, her world spun, turning from topsy-turvy back to normal again, better than normal. It was amazing how three little words written in a letter could turn the day from hell into one of the best moments in her life. But . . . there was someone missing. Slowly, a radiant confident smile spread across her face, shining up to her eyes, “I'm fine.”

 

Oh, she would be fine alright as soon as she found Mustang. Riza grabbed her trench coat and bag, ignoring the others as she almost flew out the door. The whole commotion in the aftermath of Roy's announcement on the bet stopped as the winner disappeared in a hurry. Havoc was the first to speak, blinking, “What's gotten into her?”

 

Breda smirked, putting the pieces of the day together faster than anyone else, “Don't know, but my ten says neither of them will be in tomorrow.”

 

Scieska grinned along with Heyman, turning away as she headed for the door herself, “And my ten says Jean Havoc will be a poor man by morning since he keeps making lousy bets.”

 

“Hey! Jury's still out on that, sweetheart! There's no way in hell the Colonel could like her enough to sleep with her!” Havoc yelled after the private, but she was already gone as he grumbled, “Besides, I'll still win if Roy can name the color of Hawkeye's underwear as pink.”

 

***********

 

Running in heels was always a challenge, which made the blonde look entirely inelegant as she sprinted across the empty atrium. Everyone on their floor had already headed home or was in the lifts or on the stair ways to the lobby. She didn't see him. He didn't leave already, did he? Roy must have been stopped somewhere, maybe somewhere on the stairs. He never left the office without being deterred by someone with something important. If she could just cut him off before he got to the main doors. Riza tried not to panic, thinking logically on how to get down to the lobby fast. She ran for the nearest elevator, the doors of the first one she found already open as people piled in. Among the officers, she noticed one with a familiar shock of black hair. When he turned around, Riza knew immediately that it was Mustang. She ran faster to try and make it, yelling across the floor, “Wait! Hold the-!”

 

The doors slid closed, just as Roy's eyes locked with hers, and then he was gone.

 

“Door . . .” she said with a frown, putting her head against the steel, “Damn.”

 

She glanced at the stair way near by, almost that desperate to run down four flights, but she knew she'd never make it. There was always dropping by his house and utterly surprise him. That was, if she knew where he lived. He didn't even know where her apartment was. Maes couldn't help since he didn't know either. It was no use. The only consolation she had was the fact that he finally admitted everything to her. Maybe in the morning they could talk to sort out all the lingering issues between them. Besides, she still needed to sort out what she'd do when she saw him again anyway. Maybe running after him wasn't a good idea to begin with, and knowing the warm tingle in the pit of her loins, the last thing she could do if she saw him right now would be to talk. Waiting for tomorrow was going to be very, very hard to do.

 

Sighing, she backed away and lingered by the door, resigning herself to a night alone with Hayate and a love letter. It was still in her hands too, she realized with a blush. Just as she was tucking the folded piece of paper into her bag, the elevator rumbled up the shaft. The doors slid open as Riza started to step forward before abruptly stopping. Roy grinned at her as he stood inside the lift, alone. Her mouth dropped open as she stood in the doorway, holding the doors back, “You waited?”

 

“You were running, in heels,” he said as his grinned widened, “The effort for my sake deserved a reward.”

 

Suddenly, the Lieutenant found herself grinning as well before her lips quirked to the side. This time he had no where to run. Riza stepped into the elevator and let the doors slid closed behind her. She let her coat and bag drop to the floor as he blinked. Before Roy could utter a word, her lips were on top of him, startling him with the suddenness of the kiss as he murmured. He dropped his satchel and let her push him back against the wall, dimly aware that they were still going down. When he decided to ride the elevator back up to meet her, this was a lot warmer of a reception than he expected. Maes was right about those damned sparks and kissing, even if he didn't realize it. Feeling her mouth go slack to the intrusion of his tongue didn't make him feel quite so lost anymore. It only made him surer that this was the right choice, his arms tightening over her body. Maybe he was at peace with it now that he'd stopped fighting it and let it go. He could get used to this, used to her in his life. As she moaned when Roy pulled away to kiss her neck, he knew he could get used to this very much. But just as his hands tugged her skirt up an inch or so, the bell rung and the elevator doors slid open.

 

At the sound they pushed each other away as if nothing had happened. They stood very still in the back and turned slightly away from one another as three more officers came in. Roy let out the breath he'd been holding as none of them shot them any dirty looks. That was too close. He should have pulled the damned stop button. Next to him, Riza was thinking along the same lines as she pulled her skirt back into place then delicately crouched and bent to pick up her coat and bag before they got trampled on. Before she got very far, he grabbed her hand to stop her. “Not yet . . .” he said in a whisper that sent a shiver down her spine.

 

What exactly was he planning now?

 

The doors opened again at the lobby, and the three officers left while no one else entered. Mustang pulled her with him towards the side wall and the controls, pressing her up against it roughly. He lunged for the control panel, jabbing the button to shut the door and the one for the sixth floor. The doors closed quickly and the lift shot up. A grin spread over her reddened lips, knowing exactly now what he was doing. Roy grinned back only his was much more devious bordering on impish. His arms trapped her from moving and his eyes stopped her from looking away as he leaned in, hovering just out of reach of her lips. The elevator stopped and the doors opened onto the empty floor, but neither of them moved to leave the lift. He jabbed the door close button then covered her lips with his. As soon as the doors closed, Riza's arms wrapped over his neck, her head tilted back. For a moment, all he could think about was kissing her till the elevator moved down with a jolt, making him break away from her for a moment. Shit. He finally remembered what he was supposed to do, and tugged on the stop button, the lift grinding to a halt.

 

The blonde pressed under him giggled, but was silenced with another kiss till it turned into a low moan. That sound was enough to send Roy's blood racing, remembering back to those moments in his office, the consuming need to touch her. He pulled his lips away with a groan and bend to kiss her neck. Her hands tugged on his black overcoat and the buttons of his jacket, trying to remove them both at once. She pulled them down his arms, but his hands were too busy to be moved. The skirt rose up to her waist with a sharp yank, those fingers touching skin and lace as she buried her face in his neck to muffle the sound. No coaxing was needed as her legs parted. Roy groaned as he felt her inner thigh pass over the outside of his then slide up, her heel digging into the back of his knee.

 

His hips thrust forward on their own, making her gasp as she was trapped between his body and the railing on the wall that pressed into her rear. The lace of her panties rubbed over the crotch of his pants each time they moved against each other, the flesh underneath growing hard. Roy's arms pulled away and flailed to remove the coat and jacket, flinging the garments on the floor. The Lieutenant yanked on his shirt collar for another kiss before her hands dropped down and around to his back. His hips ground into hers hard as she groped his rear, as if he needed anything else to spur him on. There were still too many issues and clothes between them, but as the scent of her arousal filled the small elevator, clothes took priority.

 

With a grunt, Roy lifted her up till she sat on the railing, pressed flat against the wall now. He grabbed her hands too as she pulled out part of his shirt, and pinned them over her head. For the moment, neither of them moved at they stared into each other's eyes, tangled together with their panting breaths and beating hearts the only sounds. There was a half mad, half pained look in his dark eyes, and Riza wondered for a moment if he'd run as it was close to the position they were in the last time before he backed off. But before she could ponder on that, his hips trust quickly forward, rubbing her folds and clit through the delicate material as she gasped. Ok, so, he definitely wasn't going anywhere now. “I never thought the first time I made love to a woman in Headquarters would be in the elevators,” he breathed into her ear, unrelenting as he pressed into her, “We have to be fast.”

 

“Then do it faster,” Riza's hips counteracted with his, her legs lifting off the floor to wrap over his, “And this is the first? What? The desk didn't count?”

 

He groaned and shuddered, the heat between them building, “Doesn't count, never finished.”

 

“Your fault.”

 

“I know, I'm a fucking idiot,” Roy said with a choked chuckle, moving faster as if there weren't at least three layers of fabric between them. Clothes didn't seem to matter as much as he thought. She arched sharply as if to buck him off, a muffled cry swallowed by his lips. Her pale skin was beautifully pink and red all over in contrast with the mad array of fallen golden hair, lopsided as half of it was coming out of the clip. The front of her panties were soaked, the liquid smeared over his pants, but neither of them noticed it. They also didn't notice the sweat either. A bead of it rolled down Riza's face, but she didn't care, the heat too great along with the feeling. Her hands slipped from his grip to tear at his shirt, ripping open the collar with the pop of a few buttons before she buried her face in his neck. When her teeth dug into the bend of his throat in a bite, Mustang grunted off the pain and retaliated with a bite of his own. He was only dimly aware of anything but rubbing against her yielding body. Nothing else mattered except the pounding of blood in his ears and the sharp jolts of pleasure. Roy realized in that moment that he wasn't going to make it much longer. And yet, the heated look in Riza's brown eyes was enough to sooth his ego, knowing she was closer to the edge than he was.

 

One of his hands dropped to her folds, helping her along in that release as he found her clit and rubbed along with his trusts. Riza's voice rose at the added pleasure, muffling it again in his shoulder. It would all be worth it, even if it wasn't quite the type of fulfillment he'd hoped for. He wanted to screw her damn it! Not dry-hump his way to release! The heat of her center was so very tempting, but this was enough, for now. His heart pounded with pride knowing that he was the cause of this fire in the normally placid blonde. She really was his now, the possessiveness making it all the more intense as he ground into her. Riza clung to Roy's chest, shuddering violently each time as her hips rolled into his. Her voice moaned his name, and the sound brought him closer faster than the feel of her body. She gave a sharp cry into his neck and went still before shaking in his arms. The heat of her center blazed against him along with the wetness, seeping down into his clothes. He didn't need to see the glazed over look in her eyes to know she had come, but he didn't stop either, possessed for his own release.

 

Riza recovered quickly, moaning as she felt down his torso through two layers of shirts. He could feel her nails drag along the fabric, the scraping sound painful to listen to but erotic at the same time. Then her hands dropped to his pants, touching him when he wasn't pressed against her. Roy groaned and shuddered, returning the feeling as his hands groped her breasts through the thin black knit of her turtleneck. Before he could stop her, the blonde's fingers pulled open the zipper in his fly and dove into his boxers. He cried out when she grabbed his loins but stopped the sound by kissing her. If he could just hold out a little longer to feel more of her touching him . . . If he could hold off long enough to actually move her panties out of the way and bury himself into her. That was so tempting of an idea, even if he was too aroused. He'd never make it past two trusts, especially if her hand didn't stop now. Yet, her hand felt just as good. Any part of Riza felt good. Roy kissed her harder, intent on possessing her mouth as his body burned with the stroke of her fingers. It couldn't get better than this could it? Then suddenly, Riza slipped along the railing the more he pressed her, bumping into the control panel.

 

The elevator moved with a jolt, and both of them cursed, “Shit! Damnit!”

 

Roy winced and moved away from her, working on fixing his pants with a raging hard-on that refused to be anything but noticeable. Of all the shitty luck and bad choices he had today, this had to be the worst. Nothing could possibly be worse than watching her pull that skirt down, again, and being able to do nothing about it. That damned skirt. They quickly tugged their clothes back in place, coats and jacket back on, and bags in hand when the lift stopped. Riza's hair looked terrible, and they were both still horribly flushed. Roy still cursed mildly to himself, holding his satchel like a shield over the front of his pants. It would be a miracle if no one figured out who they were or what they'd done in that elevator. The doors opened on the lobby, and a crowd of officers walked in as the pair walked out before anyone could stop them. The Colonel kept muttering to himself, a curse passing his lips after every other word. He wasn't the only one that wanted to scream in frustration as Riza walked next to him, if only more embarrassed for being the cause of the mishap. And just when it was so good too! “I'm sorry, sir . . .” she said softly, back to walking two steps behind him.

 

If he heard her, he didn't say anything, brooding as she winced. Then suddenly, he softly said the last thing she expected, least of all in public, “Still calling me sir? I'm going to have to cure you of that habit, I'll have to spank my name into you till you remember it.”

 

Riza's mouth dropped open in shock then she blushed, smiling softly. It had sounded so wrong for him to say that, but . . . after what they'd done, it was oddly fitting. He never was going to change completely, but suddenly she didn't mind his flirtingly lecherous side anymore. That was probably because he could back up all his boasting with technique. Her blush turned a shade deeper. They were almost to the door out of Headquarters when he stopped, turning towards her. There was a question in his eyes, and he was still sweating. He seemed nervous, which made her uneasy, “What is it?”

 

“We need to talk, and . . .” Roy started to say before moving closer, bending over to whisper into her ear, “You want to continue this, right?”

 

Now that was an offer she had expected from him. Her lips quirked into a grin, a sadistic gleam in her brown eyes, “I don't know, I mean I'm kind of tired after that, and I'm sure you have many other girlfriends to help you with that problem, but if you're begging me . . .”

 

She was evil, pure evil, or at least paying him back with interest. But if she didn't say things like that, he wouldn't have admired her as much. And she couldn't be serious, right? That grin of hers was anything but serious. He grinned a moment too, deciding to play along. There was something he needed to tell her too. Roy leaned in closer, whispering to her again, this time half as nervous, and twice as sincere, “Riza, I'm begging you, please, there's no one else that I . . . love more than you, I don't want anyone but you.”

 

There, he said it, out loud, and to her, not written in some apologetic love letter. And as her face went completely red despite the radiate smile gracing her lips, it was worth it to say. She only had one thing to ask, “What did you have in mind?”

 

“Follow me,” Roy grinned wide and started walking fast through the lobby. She followed by his side, matching his pace this time. There was a fiery determination in his dark eyes though that made her knees weak every time he looked at her. Almost as if he was undressing her and calculating what he was going to do to her once they were alone. It was difficult to keep up without getting distracted by similar thoughts. All she had to do was take one glance at where he held his satchel to know what he was covering up. It took all her concentration to keep from actively pondering whether he was still hard under there or not.

 

Her pace picked up a lot more after that idle thought though.

 

No one noticed them as they disappeared down one of the side hallways. The offices they passed were empty as was most of the building except for the few officers on call that worked late into the night. He put his hand in hers once they were alone and pulled her towards a closed door at the end of the hall. Once inside, she recognized it despite the darkness from lack of lights as one of the emergency stair cases. Wasn't it supposed to be off limits except in an evacuation? Apparently, to Roy, it didn't matter. “This way,” he said, “There's a study library on the fifth floor, it's always empty anymore.”

 

He started up the stairs and she followed. Once on the landing, she noticed him wince, still sweating. “Are you ok?” Riza asked and he stopped, looking at her.

 

Roy's dark eyes said one thing, but his words said another, “I'm fine, let's just hurry, kind of eager here.”

 

The truth was walking hurt when all he wanted was her, badly. He wasn't fine at all, and he was even less fine when she asked and kept staring. Her brown eyes kept looking straight at his crotch every time his satchel moved, like she was imagining how he looked naked from what she felt earlier. And damnit, he wanted to show her before he went insane or limp. Riza sensed the same thing as he trudged up the second floor landing with her right behind him. She stopped him before he got much further, pulling him backwards down the stairs. The Colonel's mouth dropped open to ask what she was doing, but didn't get very far as she kissed him. He murmured in surprise, even more startled when she pushed him against the wall. Roy yielded, his eyes sliding closed, but the satchel stayed between them. She tried to pull it out of the way till he wrenched his lips away from hers, sense coming back to him, “Riza, what are you doing? We have three more flights to go, one hallway, a door, and one table, then I'll do whatever you want, just-.”

 

She smirked, and he gulped, not expecting it to come out like that, “I'll do whatever I, I, want to you, that's what I-Riza!”

 

It was too late as she dropped to into a crouch in front of him, swatting the bag out of his hands and onto the floor. Roy went stiff as she grabbed his straining member through the pants, remembering the elevator all too well. He tried to grab her shoulders to push her away till she glared up at him. It was a silent exchange of looks, and Mustang yielded, again, as she undid the belt and opened his fly. He groaned, trying not to feel guilty when his pants quickly fell down along with his black boxers. This would have been entirely funny to him the day before, the guilty feeling he had over a blowjob, but now? He wasn't too sure. All he knew was that, that look of hers was downright scary, like she would kill him if he did anything but shut up and put up. Given his balls were in her hands, giving in was the only option. And as her eyes turned to something fiery now that he was exposed, Roy figured he could live with a little more guilt.

 

Riza pulled the clip in her hair free, feeling the golden locks tumbling over him as she shook her head. He groaned, but stopped the sound by biting the inside of his mouth. This still didn't feel right, even if her hair teasing him as she bent over felt very right. Roy hissed in a sharp breath as her fingers touched the foreskin, pushing it back as her hand wrapped over his length. She stroked him, slow and firm, and all thoughts of what he should and shouldn't do were gone. Mustang sagged against the wall, watching intently even if he could barely see her in the dark. The touch of her hair engulfed him as much as her hands as she leaned in close and held him against her neck and shoulder while rubbing. She lifted his shirt, kissing his abdomen as he clenched with each breath, unable to hold back his moans any longer. Riza was actually grinning when she looked up at him, dragging her tongue across the muscles before pulling back to whisper, “It's been a while since I've done this, promise not to bite.”

 

Roy yelped at the graze of her teeth on his skin along with the teasing threat, but then felt a pang of jealousy flare, “You've done this before?”

 

“And you haven't?” she asked, and he was caught. That was it. No more asking about sexual histories, not until he'd had her once at least. He cursed mildly as her mouth kissed lower and lower on his hips till her face was buried in the nest of dark curls at the base. His eyes slid closed and his head banged against the wall as her tongue swirled over him, moving up. Then came her teeth, nipping gently, and Roy jumped in her grasp, twitching. He was so close before, and even closer now, dying to feel the whole of her mouth engulf him before he lost it. But she was teasing him prolonging it as her hand caressed and then yanked on his balls each time they tightened. She was purposefully holding him on the edge till he was sensitive to each time she even breathed. As her lips lightly encased and sucked on the head, he had to fight to keep from thrusting his hips forward into the warmth. “Oh god,” he muttered when her head finally sank down on him.

 

This was going to be embarrassing.

 

Riza had barely started when Mustang groaned, and roughly pushed her off of him. Before she could protest, his hand dropped to his shaft, jerking it quick till he came with a shudder. His seed spilled all over her black shirt, but the Lieutenant didn't seem to care as she grinned, perhaps in victory. And he wanted to wait till they got up the stairs. He wouldn't have lasted more than two minutes. Roy leaned back against the wall again, spent. She leaned in again to wipe off the excess with her fingers before giving him one last lick, and he didn't move to stop her. “You're evil . . .” he muttered, half-moaning the words, “Absolutely killing me already . . . you're not going to go spreading this around, are you?”

 

Riza giggled and stood up, digging through her bag for a handkerchief to blot away the cum all over her shirt, “Which part? That I fulfilled every officer's fantasy with you on one of the emergency staircases, that you have the stamina of a rabbit, or that we're in love?”

 

The Colonel couldn't help but grin at her admission, only the second time one of them had slipped up, forgetting for a moment that she'd also insulted him, “So you do still love me . . .”

 

The blonde smiled softly as he pulled her into his arms, “Well, I wouldn't have run for that elevator if I hated you, or nearly attacked you when the doors closed, or let you attack me, or attacked you again and used my mouth, really, what kind of woman do you take me for?”

 

He kissed her cheek then her lips, turning her in her arms till she was against the wall this time. She had anticipated this, allowing his mouth to ravage hers, waiting for his hands to touch her again, but he didn't, pulling away before the kisses turned too heated to stop. Roy grinned, languidly brushing a lock of hair away from her face, and she blushed. His words only made the pink stain on her cheeks turn red, “I take you for exactly the type of woman you are, which is anything but easy.”

 

Riza opened her mouth to protest, till the meaning of his words got to her, deepened the color in her face more till she was bordering on purple. That seemed to be their preferred flirting method of choice, a compliment by way of insult. It worked well, “Um . . . now would be a good time to pull your pants up, Roy, and to get your hand off my breast.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because if you don't, I won't be held responsible if we get caught in the stair well,” she said as she slipped free, hurrying up the stairs before she had second thoughts. There was a rustle of heavy fabric, and she knew he was following up the stairs again after their interlude. When they reached the fifth floor, Roy pulled her back before she opened the door, and motioned to her feet. Sighing softly as she knew what he wanted, she slipped off the heels and watched as he untied his shoes and took them off as well. They were sneaking around like naughty children daring to get caught, which triggered every warning Riza had. This was not the way to form a lasting relationship after almost mutual declarations of love. As much as her gut was telling her that they had moved way too fast from friends to lovers, there still felt something right about it as he lead her through the deserted hallway to one of the doors. He pulled her inside the small library, then closed and locked the door behind them.

 

It was dark, night having fallen outside the windows, and Roy had moved away from her. Then a dim light came on after a small click of his fingers. There was a small orange flame glowing in what looked like an old oil-burning lamp, and the rest of the room came into focus. They were in a study library alright as they stood around a long table on which the lamp sat, chairs flanking it. Rows of bookshelves sat further behind, a fine layer of dust on the texts. Scieszka would have had a field day with this little hide out. Roy pulled the gloves from his fingers and put them in his pocket again, “I studied in here for my exam after I got lucky enough to gain access, took me the whole summer till the test to be ready, no one uses it anymore after the First Branch filled up . . . this part of the building is old too, no electricity, which is why there's the lamps.”

 

He dropped his shoes on the floor then shed his overcoat, jacket, and bag, throwing them over one of the chairs as he continued, “I always did want to bring a woman up here.”

 

Riza smirked, reminded yet again that she wasn't the first woman to have Roy Mustang, just the first to be in this particular place with him. It seemed like a life that would die hard. For a moment she felt a mixture of jealousy at those other women, and contempt that none of them had tried to hold onto him. A tiny part of her as well was also angry with how blasé he had said that as well. It made her wonder if he really did mean those three little words as sincerely as she thought. She peeled off her coat and bag as well, tossing them into another chair along with her heels, “Should I feel honored?”

 

There was a touch too much disdain in her voice that made her wince. She hasn't meant it like that as her heart sagged, but it only got worse when he frowned at her, “Roy, I didn't-.”

 

“It's ok, Riza,” he said, “Thinking back on every woman I've casually slept with, I probably deserved that.”

 

“But-,” Damnit, why she to open her mouth and start a fight now, “I didn't-.”

 

Her words were stopped when he yanked her into his arms, holding her tightly. The tension of an impending argument emptied out of Riza before it even started as she relaxed in the embrace. He was almost clinging to her, his face buried in her hair, and she felt oddly at peace. Maybe she was wrong to think too much of this all being a bad thing. It'd been a while since her last relationship to the point where she almost forgot what it was like till here it was again, hugging to her like a life-preserver. In that silent moment, when Roy hugged her devoid of sexual want, she knew he really did love her. “I'm sorry, I meant every word in that letter, and this is what you chose for us, I'm more honored just holding you than you'll ever know . . . there's a million reasons I don't deserve you at all,” he said softly, “Mostly because I'm the biggest idiot asshole in all of Amestris.”

 

She gave a snort of laughter, breathing in his scent while dipping her face into his collar, “No, you're not, you didn't deserve that since both of us have been . . . well, we're not exact innocent, and this is fast, but you get my point, right? I just . . . I don't think it's all sunk in yet.”

 

“Darling, that makes the two of us.”

 

“Darling?” Riza asked, trying not to make a face in distaste, “I guess it works, better than honey.”

 

Roy chuckled and the moment passed, even if he still held her close. Slowly, she felt his lips on her neck, wetting the black material of her shirt. Her arms reached up to his neck, hugging him to her, and the alchemist pulled away enough to look in her eyes. Something must have crossed between their looks as the tenderness passed, replaced with desire when his lips touched hers again. One moan of Riza's into the kiss and Mustang was lost again, fumbling to draw her closer against him than she was already. He took a step towards the table as she followed and it was a step too many when he collided with the side of it, yelping in pain. She giggled as he winced, but neither of them let go of the other, still connected with kisses of varying degrees of passion. The blonde slowly slid past his body and sat down on the table, pulling at his un-tucked shirt. His legs wedged between hers as she slowly laid back, knowing this time they probably wouldn't stop even if the Fuhrer himself walked into that little study.

 

Riza pulled him down with her while her hips once again settled against his. That was the third time today her skirt had been pushed or pulled out of the way as well, yanked up in all the movement. His hand pulled at her shirt when he wasn't busy trying to feel under it. The Lieutenant was doing a much better job on Roy's, ignoring the buttons to lift it up and over his head when the collar was undone. The garment got tossed off to the floor, followed by his undershirt went the Colonel stood up straight and peeled it off slowly. Just watching him take it off was enough to make her quiver, her eyes glued to him. Roy must have liked it as he didn't stop there, undoing the belt buckle of his pants then the zipper before shedding them as well. Before she could even blink, the black boxers were gone too along with her voice. So this wasn't the first time he'd been exposed to her, just the first time he was completely exposed, visually driving home the fact that they were well beyond just fooling around on desks, in elevators, and on stairs.

 

As she watched Roy's sex rise and harden just under her gaze, Riza suddenly didn't want him to be the only one of them naked. He leaned over to kiss her, practically climbing up onto the table to join her. His hips pressed down and her legs automatically closed over him as his loins rubbed over her center. She couldn't hold back her moans as his hands finally pulled her shirt up to just under her arms and stopped. Damnit, her holster was in the way. It was either that or he was stunned by her choice in bras. As his hands touched the sheer black lace covering her breasts instead of going for the leather straps on her shoulder, she knew it was the latter. “You didn't wear this for me, did you?” Roy asked with a teasing tilt on his voice, his grin as shameless as ever.

 

Riza tried to get her voice to work, but managed a groan instead while turning bright red, squirming as his hands groped the soft orbs. His thumb rubbed over a nipple, licking his lips at her high-pitched cry. The sound of her voice made Roy's grin grow even wider and his heart burst with pride before they'd ever started. If he had known, if he had opened his eyes, they would have done this sooner, a lot sooner. She was about to get up when he pushed her back down, pressing flat against her hips and stomach. The blonde gasped as his mouth descended on one breast while the other one was being toyed with. His tongue licked the fabric, teasing the peak underneath, and then sucked on it, drawing another moan from her throat. When he's had enough, Roy yanked the lace out of the way, not bothering to unclasp her bra. She started to get up again, but collapsed as his mouth had no intention of letting go. He sucked on her pale brown nipple till it almost hurt in rigidity, making her bite her fingers to keep from crying out again. He grinned at her, his hands stroking her heaving chest as she panted, “How did you know I liked black lace?”

 

“I didn't, but most men like it,” Riza answered, her skin almost cherry red. He finally released it, watching as she crawled back along the table then sat up. Her hands pulled at the holster still strapped to her shoulder, and Roy moved to help her, only to get swatted away, “Don't touch my gun.”

 

“But, it's just a gun, Riza,” he said, suddenly very intent to help her just to spite her. She glared at him when he made his move, but stopped when her hand shot forward to grab his member and balls. Then she squeezed, making all thoughts of messing with her run from his head. Roy didn't know if it was out of pleasure or pain, but he froze completely, shuddering when her wrapped over him to give an aggressive yank. He doubled over with a start, almost knocking into her as he groaned, loudly. Now that felt good. Roy tried to grab her wrist before she did it again, but her hand was gone. That was very evil of her, but he couldn't help but grin, “What was that for?”

 

“I'm very protective of my guns, you left a weak point open,” Riza said as she finally pulled the holster free and dropped it gently on the table, sliding it out of the way. Her shirt finally followed as she stripped, but he didn't even notice. A weak point? A weak point?! What the hell?! Roy frowned, “I thought that was one of strong points . . .”

 

She was unhooking her bra when he had said that, and stopped to laugh softly, covering her mouth in her hands. After a moment, she went back to taking off the lingerie, slipping the straps from her shoulders. A small seductive smile spread over her lips with a fiery glint in her brown eyes as the lace dropped free, “Well, I'd need a demonstration to determine if that's true or not.”

 

The double shot of a come on and an insult made Roy groan without having to be touched. She was good, so good it was scary, and just when he thought he couldn't be in love with her more, he was. The Colonel moved along the table, crawling over on hands and knees, and kissed her. Riza's arms embraced his neck again, and he drew her against him as he sat back on his legs. His tongue dueled with hers, drawing out each small cry in her voice. Their bodies rubbed together in the heat of the kiss, and Mustang knew he couldn't wait much longer. His hands searched for the zipper to the damned skirt, and found it on the side. He pulled away from her lips and cursed when it didn't budge half way down, “Damn.”

 

Riza pulled away a moment, drawing her legs together, and then took it off herself, the blue fabric sliding down to her knees and stopping as they bent. For a moment, in his haste, Roy considered ripping the black panties off of her, but stopped as another thought occurred to him. He pulled away even more from her, but bent over to whisper in her ear, “Turn around.”

 

She complied, shivering in anticipation that warmed her stomach. Just when her back was turned towards him, Mustang's arms encircled her waist, holding her tightly against his chest. Riza moaned and tilted her head away as she felt his mouth suck on her neck. His hands slid over her breasts and waist, rough touches followed by gentle ones as she writhed against him. Her head rolled back onto his shoulder, golden hair slipping over his chest as his hands moved down closer to the edge of the black lace. He groaned into her ear then nibbled on the outer edge to relieve some of the tension running through him. The blonde in his arms probably had no idea what she was doing to him each time she moved, her hips sitting on his. Each sway of her butt was another stroke against him, making it very tempting indeed just to move that lace out of the way. Unable to hold in back anymore, his hand gripped the material covering her center tightly, hooking on the skin underneath as she cried out.

 

Ripping it would feel very good around now, but . . . he couldn't face her wrath when it was the only pair she had. His hand slid under it, and turned his wrist to pull it down; thankful she wore them over the garters and stockings. Those he could live with without stripping from her. Roy tightened his other arm on her waist, lifting her up as he yanked them down, finally, pulling them off of her completely along with the skirt. Both garments disappeared off the table as he tossed them, and Riza sunk back against, naked, well, naked enough. His hand moved up the inside of her thigh, brushing the silk stockings, and her legs parted as she shuddered. The gentle touch of two fingers on her folds brought waves of heat crashing over her skin, sweating as she moved, trying to feel more of him. His palm cupped her center, rubbing it as she moaned while flexing her hips in time. Roy's eyes closed as he kissed her shoulder gently, the flesh under his hand growing in heat and wetness. Her clit stuck out the more he played with her, begging for attention as he brushed it. Riza jumped in his arms then settled back with a moan, her voice breathless but commanding, “Roy, enough foreplay.”

 

“I outrank you, don't make me order you to come,” he said, and she could feel his grin as he kissed her neck. The whine in her voice was unmistakable even if the groan covered it. “You're horrible,” she said as she shuddered, retaliating by grinding her hips back against his, “We've waited long enough, either put it in me, or I'll do it myself.”

 

Roy growled, his restraint challenged on all fronts. It felt like they were in the middle of a personal war, again, and he was losing, again. He drew her hard against him in pay back, stilling her hips as she moaned. Riza understood enough for the both of them as her legs curl under her, planted on either side of his. She bent over, almost on her hand and knees, and felt his member rub her folds. Mustang fumbled in his haste as his resistance finally shattered, missing her entrance. He cursed again, and above him the blonde shook with silent laughter. Her hand dropped between them, not chancing it as she guided him. His hips trusted up, and this time the wet flesh parted. Roy groaned, momentarily feeling his breath leave him, reality crashing in. A day ago, he'd said about the dumbest thing possible, but it was now the most fortunate thing he'd ever said in his life. Fate, it seemed, had the most fucked up sense of timing.

 

Her hips rolled and his thoughts were scattered, his concentration back on the task at, err, hand. Roy pulled her back against his chest, rougher than he meant to be, but she moaned anyway. He buried his face in her hair and neck, muffling his groans as she moved for them both. All he could do was follow, counteracting her hips while clinging to her. Riza's head rolled back onto his shoulder, and he kissed her, deeply, held there when her hand fisted his dark hair. He was beginning to like this in her, this assertiveness this passion that seemed to spring up in her. Maybe it was because she loved him that much. Maybe this was the way she always was outside of the office. He didn't care as he broke the pace and thrust up into her quick and hard, enjoying her shudders before she fought back just as much. As long as no one else but him could witness this side of her, he didn't care where it came from.

 

Riza started to cry out when she broke away from his lips till his hand clamped over her mouth to silence her. He felt the same way as he bit her neck again to stop his own groaning, tasting the salty sweat on her skin. The movement of her hips was becoming more frantic as his hand dropped between her legs. As soon as his fingers brushed her clit, Riza bent down till she was practically sprawled across the table, ripping herself from his arms. Mustang followed though, hunched over her as he took over control. He moved quicker and harder, feeling her arch and writhe each time. For an odd moment, he wondered how her eyes looked when she came. All he could see was the profile of her face contort each time he pounded deep into her. It was something he didn't care to watch before in the elevator, but now he cared a lot. Roy pulled out despite the protests of his body, impulse taking over as he turned her to face him.

 

She glared at him for stopping till he kissed her, sinking back between her legs. Riza's body arched in movement and this time it was her clinging to him. Her nails scratched down his back, and her mouth bit his neck in return, but he was immune to the pain, focused solely on the clench of her walls around him. He wanted to feel her shudder terribly again, feeling the tension running through her with each thrust. She was as close as he was, that was obvious enough when her hands groped his ass, prodding him to go faster. Roy pushed her down by the shoulders, pinning her wiggling as her eyes flashed up to his. That was exactly how he wanted her, watching the depths of brown shift each time he moved. He just wanted to watch her a little longer like this. Something seemed to snap and her face twisted, her eyes flashing before scrunching shut. Just before they'd closed, Roy saw want he knew would be there between waves of desire, and he was at peace with it.

 

Riza's mouth opened to scream but nothing came out. Everywhere she touched she dug into him, as if she was going to tear him apart for what he did to her. Then she shuddered, arching into him desperately as her walls clenched. Roy held on, still trusting into her despite the lock of her legs over his waist, but surrendered to it as well with one final push before he collapsed on top of her. His forehead smacked into the table, but he was too far gone to notice as he shuddered as well, the pleasure rolling over him in its wake. The seed spilled into her, and he groaned, quivering as she still held tightly to him. Finally, they both went still, listening to the others breath in the dark room with the oil lamp light flickering over them.

 

Roy moved first, withdrawing and rolling onto his back to her right. He just laid there, numb and exhausted, physically and mentally. What had he just done? Made love to Riza Hawkeye, right? A stupid grin crossed his face as he felt her hand in his. Everything Maes had said to him earlier made sense now. Even if home was just the two of them together, he finally felt it. Looking over to see a similar stupefied look of peace on the blonde's face, he knew she had felt it too. “I love you,” Roy whispered, rolling over to pull her side against him.

 

He kissed her cheek then felt her lip brush over his, breathing the words against his mouth, “I love you too, Mustang.”

 

A pleasurable growl erupted from his throat and he kissed her deeper, ignoring the rest of his body as it revolted, protesting that he wasn't ready for round two. Riza wasn't either when she pulled away, giggling when he whined at the loss. He coughed to clear his voice, trying to regain his senses, “Well, now that we know where each of us stands . . .”

 

“Does this mean we're dating?”

 

“Does it?” Roy asked, grinning at the idea. Dating his subordinate, while sounding very bad in his head, did have a nice ring to it. But . . . “Are you absolutely sure it's allowed? If this becomes public knowledge that we're not just dating, um . . .”

 

“Fucking?”

 

“Too harsh a word, darling, but it works, but like I said, if this all get out, I have enemies of higher rank that would relish making my life miserable,” he said, trying not to frown, damn, it was a good idea too, “And I hope it would make your life miserable too not seeing my smiling face first thing in the morning.”

 

“Usually you're the last person I see in the morning, but yes, it would make it harder to cover your handsome ass in another department.”

 

Roy snorted in laughter, blushing slightly in embarrassment. Handsome ass, huh? Now that was clever. It didn't solve their problem though. But then again, there was only one answer to this one. “I guess we'll just have to keep being sneaky till I become Fuhrer,” he said, his voice utterly serious.

 

Riza slapped him right across the abdomen as he yelped, glaring at her, “What?”

 

“Sneaky I'll agree too, but don't let your delusions of grandeur get to you, it could be years before you become Fuhrer, if you become Fuhrer, it's not possible for us to keep sleeping with each other under everyone's noses for that long before someone finds out,” she said before settling back down, “Besides, I'm sure some people know already.”

 

“Are all of them our subordinates?”

 

“Yeah, why?”

 

“Then when there's a problem with them, I'm pretty sure all you have to do is wave a gun, shoot a wall, and they'll be as well behaved on the matter as your puppy,” he said, grinned, at least until she lightly punched his shoulder, “So violent, no wonder you like guns.”

 

This time she tickled him, going for the ribs. Mustang yelped, fending her off as he grabbed her wrists, “Ok, I'm sorry! . . . It is true through.”

 

“This from the pyromaniac,” Riza said with a snorting laugh as he chuckled, “Too bad you're useless in the rain.”

 

“Ouch, harsh . . . why are we still taking potshots at each other?”

 

“Force of habit?” she offered, and he shrugged. Whatever the reason, it wasn't too uncomfortable to live with. Somehow it would feel wrong if they were just civil to each other during the off hours, even if they were way beyond just being civil now, “I guess it works, everyone will know we're in love if we stop completely on the fighting.”

 

“Or the flirting.”

 

“Huh? What?” he asked, confused as he saw her frown.

 

“Havoc will notice if you suddenly don't have dates, or turn monogamous,” she said, trying not to look too upset at this realization, “Hell, all of Central will notice, especially the women.”

 

Suddenly, he was regretting being involved with a whole lot of women again, even if most of it was an act or a bandage for his other problems, “I'm sorry, Riza, but you've spoiled me for the rest of the female sex, I don't think I could, well . . .”

 

Her frown slowly turned into a smile, trying to hold back the appreciative blush creeping over her skin. There was one matter resolved. He wasn't going to cheat on her any time soon. “Then you'll just have to lie, I don't think Havoc or the others are terribly curious about your personal life to start tailing you,” Riza said, still smiling, “And it would be a perfect cover for . . . our dates.”

 

Now her blush was entirely noticeable, even in the dark. Roy kissed her again, grinning when he pulled away to snuggle against her side, “What did I ever do to deserve you? I don't deserve you at all, but . . . I'm entirely grateful you're mine.”

 

Riza smiled as well, the blush deepening a few shades, “Don't thank me just yet, I don't intend to go soft on you during work.”

 

“I don't intend to either,” he said with a suggestive wiggle against her. Riza gasped then turned nearly purple as she held her breath in anger. Intending not to fight fair, she reached over him and brought her hand down on his ass as he yelped in pain, “Riza! That hurt, damnit! Can't I have any fun?!”

 

“Sir, I'm suppose to make sure you work, not ensue that you're jacking off,” she glared till she noticed his grinning. The Lieutenant groaned, banging the back of her head on the table. Damn, and she called him sir too. That habit was not going down easy. Roy chuckled, kissing her again to get her to stop. “You should see the look on your face, it was priceless, but really, I will be serious at work, and on missions, like normal, but . . .” he trailed off, and she didn't like the sound of it, “We're at least repeating the desk episode, once, and maybe only once if your panties are in that much of a knot over it.”

 

“Is that an order, Roy?”

 

“Have I issued an order yet today?”

 

“No, but . . .” Riza said before she stopped, pondering it till she sighed, “Alright, but maybe once, and no stripping, sneaking around remember, and no more elevators.”

 

“But that was fun, and worth it,” Roy said with another stupid grin, the fond memories circling round his head. He was never going to be able to ride the lifts again without grinning like that. Riza giggled, having similar thoughts. Maybe she'd just have to take the stairs. On that thought, neither of them was safe now as she blushed, “Damn you, it's going to take me weeks to make it up to the fourth floor without turning the perfect shade of tomato red.”

 

Mustang laughed, nuzzling her face which was already the shade of said vegetable. She whined in the back of her throat, but didn't complain any further. Despite her arguments, misgivings, and nagging doubt, there was still a hope in her heart that this would all work out, and it brought a serene smile to her lips. She felt Roy go still next to her in the silence now that all the jokes were aside. He did think too much sometimes, the worry clear on his face. She reached up to touch his cheek and he flinched, his eyes snapping to her in fear a moment before it softened. “Are you ok?” she asked, growing worried herself.

 

It took him a long moment after she asked before he answered with his own question, his voice smaller than she thought possible, “You really don't care, do you, about all these things that I've done?”

 

Sympathy flooded her face as she sat up and turned, looming over him while balanced on one hand. She ran her other hand through his hair and over his cheek, watching as he shuddered and hugged her grounded arm. Apparently he liked to be petted or didn't mind it, even rubbing against her hand. “I do care, Roy, but not the way you think,” she said with a sigh, “I . . . don't want to see you suffer anymore for things you cannot change, I care about you too much not to, I won't ask you to tell me till you're ready, but no matter what you have done, you don't have to live with it alone anymore, and I won't run, so . . . you might as well get used to it.”

 

He smiled up at her, then gently kissed her wrist and up her arm before sitting up next to her. His arms pulled her against him, her face at his neck as he spoke, “Thank you . . . you know I really, really don't deserve you.”

 

She poked his ribs and Roy chuckled, “Ok, maybe I do.”

 

He felt her grin against his chest, then her lips on his skin. Roy stopped chuckling and shifted only to feel her shift closer. Her teeth nipped at his neck, and the Colonel knew where this was headed when he ducked his head to kiss her. Riza melted into his lips, going limp as she dragged him back down on top of the table. Roy groaned when she released him, running his hand down her side, “So much for dinner, I guess I could eat you instead, since it's on you of course.”

 

“Bastard,” she called him that name with a chuckle.

 

“That's Colonel Bastard to you, darling, and I intend to make sure you never forget it.”

 

**********

 

An hour, and much mutual soreness but pleasurable soreness, later, Colonel Roy Mustang and First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye finally left Central Headquarters side by side. No one noticed that she was wearing a men's cut shirt missing a few buttons, or that he wore just an undershirt beneath his jacket. No one noticed them together as well when Riza went to pick up Black Hayate from the pet sitter, but the pet sitter certainly remembered their teasing jokes on her porch. When he asked if she had a hot date tonight, the blonde had said something about him having dark eyes, soft hair, and well behaved, but gave sloppy kisses. Apparently her gentleman friend thought it was in reference to him and not the dog when he groused about his kisses not being sloppy. No one even noticed them, uniforms and all, as they slipped into Riza's apartment building and up to her rooms. None of their subordinates even noticed when they both called in sick the following morning. That was probably because they were two busy fending off Maes Hughes and pictures of his adorable Elysia who was called in to watch over them.

 

Nope, apparently sometimes blatancy goes entirely unnoticed.

 

It wasn't till Monday after the infamous day of the bet when anyone noticed that they were back in the office after their extended weekend due to a sick day. Despite the bombshell of winning the bet, and the pile of money from Havoc's book-keeping services, Riza's day was like any other being the first one into the office. Mustang was, again, the last person to show up, they exchanged looks when he entered, but neither of them cracked anything more than a warm smile. He even frowned when she handed him a fresh stack of papers to be signed. Yup, everything was back to normal. “Wait, so you two still aren't sleeping together?” Havoc asked, finally shattering the normalcy.

 

Roy gagged on the mug of stale coffee he had been sipping, choking violently, and Riza went pale before turning twenty different shade of red as least. They looked at each other and started firing off denial at once, “No, of course-.” “How could you ever think that-.” “Why would I possibly-.” “Wouldn't happen-.” “Never-.” “Absolutely never-.”

 

“Wait, really never?” Roy broke out of it, grinning incredulously. Riza blushed again and glared at him in anger before turning away to ignore him completely. She then pulled open a drawer in her desk and grabbed a box of ammo, standing up abruptly, “I'm going to the range.”

 

And then she was gone. The Colonel turned to the others in her wake, smirking, “There's your answer, now get back to work before she shoots all of us.”

 

And then he was gone, retreating back into his office. Breda and Fuery groaned as Havoc crowed in triumph, “Pay up, boys! I win!”

 

They handed over their money, very grudgingly, and went back to work. Jean knew this would be a good day, even if he lost the skirt bet. He'd spent enough on the smaller, and longer running, side bets to cover himself. And yet, when Riza came back an hour later, walked into the Colonel's office, and didn't come out for another fifteen minutes at least without a since argument, Havoc's feeling of victory was completely deflated. What was even worse was when Breda tapped him on the shoulder. He grumbled and put the money back into the guy's hands. Maybe this served him right for betting so much. He really was lousy at it. “Don't look so glum, Jean,” Hayman said as he counting his money, “Maybe her underwear isn't black.”

 

“It's pink, I tell you! Pink!” he said, a little too loud as Hawkeye looked up from her desk. Her eyes hardened a moment, and he whimpered, knowing the searing pain of lead and firepower would be coming soon. And yet, it didn't as she smirked but didn't reach for a gun. Instead, she pulled off her short jacket and shoulder holster then rolled up the sleeve of her shirt. By now all three of them were staring intently as her fingers were shoved up the garment, grabbing something. And then there it was, the black satin strap of obviously a bra on her white skin. Riza grinned and moved it back in place, “See, black.”

 

This day couldn't get any worse.

 

“Damn it!”

 

**********

 

The End