Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ A Blend of Fear and Passion ❯ Home On The Range ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Riza liked to take out her anger at the range. It soothed her. It gave her back her control and cleared her thoughts.

Turning back to her bag, thrown onto the bench with her military blazer, her eyes fell on Mustang, standing casually over the barrier to her range. Conciously, she avoided eye contact, pulling a fresh clip from her tote.

Roy noted she was only using her handgun. That was a relief; heavy artillerary usually meant she was pissed at something in particular. This was just stress. He watched her position herself again and take aim. Watching her like that was like watching performance art, he mused. The movement of her body, the way she'd learned to avoid the typical kickback associated with high-calibur weapons. It was beautiful.

Clip empty and smelling of gunpowder, Riza finally allowed herself to sag. Her usually perfectly brushed hair was falling from it's barrette but she felt fine again. Until she remembered the Colonel--no, pardon her, Brigadier General, hanging on the barrier and watching her every move. Clicking the safety back on her weapon, she holstered it again and gathered her bag. She needed to go to the ladies' room to fix her hair and make herself presentable to the company in her office. It wouldn't do to show up messy and disheveled. After all, she was Riza Hawkeye.

"Lieutenant!" Mustang said brightly by the gate. Her eyes, when they met his, were still cold and he winced inwardly.

"Yes, sir?" Lately she'd taken to spitting out the word "sir" as though it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Roy stopped. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd followed her to the range, and he realized now that he didn't have a damn thing to say to her. He changed tactics. "You're not working the boys hard enough. When I left, Breda and Falman were trying to improvise a game of ping-pong out of a sock and several file folders."

"Then let me get back to my job, sir," she said, with as much courtesy as she could muster.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Roy had enough of her snark. Riza froze. Had she gone too far? He was still her commanding officer. "Lieutenant Hawkeye, you are to report to my office in exactly two hours to discuss your position and rank here." He turned on his heel and stalked away.

Riza's stomach dropped. A conference, huh?

***

Roy walked blindly back to the sanctity and alcohol supplies of his own office. He craved a stiff drink. He still had nothing to say to Riza, but her insubordination had been the last straw. Maybe he had to scare the decorum back into her.

Falman, Breda, Havoc, and Fuery all looked up when he walked into the door, prepared to pretend to work. They relaxed when it was only Mustang. However, his rushed demeanor, minus his usual swagger, was enough to make them all watch him stalk back into his office and slam the door so hard the plaques on the wall shook.

Havoc took a drag from his cigarette and put out the stub in the ashtray. "I'll bet you this has something to do with Hawkeye." At the incredulous looks from his compatriots, Havoc was urged to go on. "I mean seriously, after the both took leave together and she baby-sat him, you don't think something went down? You don't live with a man for two months without --"

"Enough, Lieutenant Havoc!" There was a loud command from the doors again and they all cringed to see Riza, perfectly attired and not a hair out of place.

"Sorry, sir." Havoc was shamed into silence.

Riza slammed down her satchel onto her desk, startling the black and white dog who yipped and ran out from under it. She knelt briefly to scratch him behind the ears. "Fuery, would you mind taking him out?"

Fuery jumped at the chance to be with the puppy again. "Certainly, sir."

She tossed him Black Hayate's leash and walked calmly towards Mustang's door, slamming it just as loudly as he had.

The office hushed and stared at the door. Havoc smirked and lit another cigarette. "I told you. It's the sex."

Breda shrugged carelessly. "It's their problem, why should we care if the General's got a girlfriend?"

Havoc lowered his voice conspiratorially. "It's against military policy. They're in the same division and he's her superior. It's probably why they're keeping it quiet."

Breda opened his mouth to speak, but Havoc shushed him and motioned towards the door. "Shut up, I want to hear the yelling."

***

"What's this meeting about, sir?" Hawkeye said nervously, standing erect and tense.

"At ease, lieutenant." Mustang motioned towards a chair and she sat into it, keeping her ramrod straight posture. "What I want to know is what the hell has you so wound up! You're bitter, sarcastic, and I could have called you on insubordination at least three times today!" Riza's shoulders dropped, and Mustang used the vulnerable point in her armor to be the final blow. "Tell me, Riza."

Riza. There he was, saying her name for the first time in how long? After his return, it was always Lieutenant, or generally Hawkeye.

"Nothing, sir." She smoothed her pant legs over her lap nervously, fearful she was betraying her insecurity.

"Dammit, Riza! Since I've come back you've been a different woman." Roy stood, and she noticed that he wobbled slightly. The bottle of brandy was significantly emptier since this morning. God help her, he was drunk. He walked around the desk towards her and sat down in a chair opposite hers. "Tell me."

Riza swallowed. How was she supposed to articulate this without sounding like a lovestruck schoolgirl, or worse, a bitter old matron.

"You're right, sir."

"And I have a name!" As she opened her mouth he added, "and don't you dare call me General Mustang!"

"Roy." The single syllable hung between them like a lead wall. He watched her intently, was she going to open up? "I'm fine, there is nothing at all different."

Roy chose his next words carefully. "You didn't act like this when we were on leave."

She shot up. How dare he mention that? Slowly her anger boiled over until she was shouting. "Yes, sir. I'm different because things were different then! You were human! A normal person! Now you're back to being a selfish, arrogant bastard I don't know what the hell is going on." Her voice lowered as she fought her sobs. "We were happy and then you had to play the martyr and run away to the mountains and leave me behind." Her eyes glistened with tears now. "We were partners, I loved you, and all you could do is leave me behind."

Roy was silent. He hadn't anticipated that of all things. "I left for the mountains because --"

Riza cut him off. "I don't want your excuses. I want to be transferred to another division!" Riza shocked herself and him. She hadn't been expecting those words to come out of her mouth.

Roy nodded. "I'll put in the papers tomorrow morning. Dismissed, Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Riza stood shakily. “No.”

He eyed her, confused. “So what the hell do you want from me?”

“I want everything to go back to the way it was! Before you came back to the military. Before you had to take it upon yourself to go and right all the wrongs in the world, single-handedly….”

He sighed and poured himself another glass. “Shoot the wall and go back to your desk. We’ll talk about this in privacy, after hours.”

“Shoot the wall, sir?”

“Yes. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Havoc, Breda, and Falman have their ears against the door listening. Shoot the wall, make it seem like I pissed you off…unless you want to explain all this to them?”

“Yes, sir.” She pulled out her weapon and shot several inches above the doorknob. A high pitched shriek came from behind the wood, followed by several footsteps.

“Told you so.”



Author’s Note:
I know this is a little drawn out and I’m not the best at summaries. Citrusy fun next chapter, I promise!