Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ I Skip the Little Ones ❯ Theme 11: Liar ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: Hey, no spoilers for once. Woo-hoo! Anyways, I just wanted to say that, believe it or not, I actually have finals this week () so updates may be off (because I had a fixed schedule. Ha!). Then there's always the few days were everyone sits down at home and says, “Wow, the school year's over,” and then falls asleep. So bear with me, my good friends! Though it may seem like I dropped off the face of the planet, I'll actually be quite alive.

Theme 11: Liar

Melissa

 

Melissa smiled at the dark-haired man sitting across the table from her. He was Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, the Hero of Ishbal, and notorious among the women of Central. They were at La ShÄ“, a slightly upscale restaurant. Hey, Melissa was an uptown girl; her tastes were too… refined… for the run-of-the-mill, ma-and-pop place. “So, Roy, how was your day?” she asked, taking another petite bite of her pasta.

 

Roy smiled back. “Quite boring, actually. You wouldn't want to hear about it, I promise. I mostly sat at my desk and filled out paperwork. How was your day? Didn't you say you were going shopping with Miss Parton?”

 

“Oh, yes! It was lovely. I found a dress with…” Melissa enthused, diving into a detailed account of the trip. She had no fear of losing his interest; his mind had leapt elsewhere the moment he mentioned paperwork. Melissa filed this information away for later while she prattled on -better he thought she had air between her ears; people tended to become a bit more lax around people they thought were stupid. Something was driving him to distraction, and she was determined to find out what it was, even if it led back to her apartment.

 

Which it did. It was their fourth date - technically - so it wasn't anywhere near whorish, but Melissa was still sure her mother would have a fit if she found out (because Melissa was so going to tell her. Ha!). Afterword, she leaned on her elbow, so she could see his face, and played idly with his dog tags. Melissa had been surprised to see that he wore them out of uniform, but then again, she hadn't really dated a military man before. “Do I remind you of someone, Roy?” she asked lowly, flipping her brunette curls.

 

“No,” he answered (honestly, she could tell). “No, I can definitely say you are completely unique, Melissa.”

 

She laughed, pleased, and kissed him. There wasn't much conversation after that, but another piece of the puzzle fell into place. Maybe it's not that I remind him of someone, she wondered later. But that I don't remind him of someone.

 

Only a few days later, Melissa's conundrum was solved. She had been waiting for him outside his Headquarters when he came out, accompanied by a blonde woman.

 

“…takes so long to do paperwork,” he was saying.

 

“If you didn't procrastinate so much, sir, you'd be done a lot earlier,” the woman noted dryly.

 

Roy shot her an annoyed look that was half-jest. “Good night, Lieutenant.”

 

“Good night, Colonel.” The Lieutenant walked away and Roy made a beeline for Melissa's car.

 

“One of your subordinates?” she asked. Her chauffer began to drive.

 

“Yes,” he replied. His head rested on his hand, while his other arm was crossed across his chest. He stared out the window, a small smile on his features.

 

“Tough was, isn't she?”

 

“Yes, indeed.”

“ And you love her?”

 

“What? You're mistaken, Melissa,” he laughed nervously. “Military personnel do not feel affection for other military personnel.” He wore a look so innocent that she would've believed him, if he hadn't looked so damned guilty first.

 

“Uh-huh. Right. Liar.” She fought a grin… and lost horribly. “I won't tell anyone, I promise. I'll still date you, too, you poor sap.”

 

Roy laughed. “People are too damned perceptive sometimes.”

 

And Melissa couldn't help but laugh, too. He had just, after all, complimented her.