Title Goes Here

[canhasfuhrer]

Action - 5725 Cunningham Lane - Morning - for Riza Hawkeye

[How long has it been? A month? A month and a half? Far too long since the Valentines debacle, which makes it far too long since he's had a normal conversation with his subordinate. To call the air between them 'tense' would be an understatement. It's not the same kind of tense as with Olivier - they're certainly not in danger of killing each other anytime soon - but they hardly seem like the same duo they were previously.]

[Sure, things are still professional between them. After all, they're nothing if not professionals. But that underlying warmth, the banter, the familiarity - it's vanished away, leaving only an awkwardness that Roy Mustang refuses to bear one minute further. He's a Colonel. He's the future Fuhrer of Amestris]

[And he will not let his life be dictated by awkwardness and inaction. Not when there's something he can do. Unfortunately, with the way they've been avoiding each other, that something is to wake up ungodly early, grab a chair, and sit himself in it blocking the exit to their bedroom.]

[Let the waiting game begin]

Action - Evening - Grocery Store - Open

[Mustang's out and about doing some grocery shopping! Not that he really cares, he's just throwing TV dinners into a basket without a care in the world. Funny though - that massive bandage wasn't on his right hand yesterday. Once his cart is properly stacked, he nods at it happily]

That should do for another week.

Comments

Action: Evening, Grocery Store

[pastapasta_i_love_pasta]

[The cashier's happily waving goodbye to the drone customer he was attending to. When he's done he returns his attention to the next person in line.]

Buanaserra signore~!

[canhasfuhrer]

[Well, that sure as hell wasn't drone speak. But Mustang is nothing but cordial as he starts moving the dozens of frozen dinners to the counter!]

I'm not quite sure what that meant, but it certainly sounded nice! I take it you're having a fun night at work?

[pastapasta_i_love_pasta]

It means "Good evening" signore! It's Italian! And I really like my job. I get to meet all sorts of nice people and talk to them. It's really fun!

[Fun fact: Feliciano does not know how to use the cash register. So instead, he's got a piece of paper as he scribbles down what Roy has bought and compares it to a price list. In the end though, he ends up with a figure that's waaaaaaay below the supposed price due to a miscalculation.]

[canhasfuhrer]

Italian? As in Italy? [He thinks for a moment, then nods] That's right, I saw that on a map at the school.

[Wow, that's one hell of a miscalculation. And as tempting as it is to let it slide, Roy can't bring himself to do it - just in case Mayfield decided to punish anyone for a simple math error. But for someone who works here to make a mistake like that...]

So how long have you been working here?

[pastapasta_i_love_pasta]

Italia is a fantastic country signore. If you get the chance you should go there on a holiday. We've got fantastic food, friendly people, and beautiful countryside!

[He pauses and tilts his head, thinking.]

Ve...I think I've been here a month?

[canhasfuhrer]

You make it sound like quite the place! I'll make it a point to visit if I ever get the chance.

At any rate, you're doing well for only a month on the job, but you might want to re-count everything. It doesn't seem quite right to me.

[equinamity]

[Look Roy Mustang. Lets get a few things straight. First, she's not dumb. She's the lighter sleeper of the two of them, and she heard you get up to sit by the door. She heard you put the chair in the doorway, too.]

[Which is why she's been awake for the last fifteen minutes trying desperately to find a way to dodge this conversation. If there is one skill Riza has become particularly good at, it is evading uncomfortable conversations. But with Roy in the door, she isn't quite sure about how to sneak by.]

[So after a few more minutes, she sits up, frowning.]

You're honestly going to block the door.

[It's not a question. It's a statement.]

I need to get to work, Roy. I can't be late or the charge nurse will have my head.

[canhasfuhrer]

[Of course she was aware. She's always the alertness. But sometimes, alertness just isn't any match for a well laid plan because that's what this totally is shut up]

Then call in sick. You go more often than me anyway, so you're not in any real trouble. Though if you really want to keep this dance up, I suppose you could dive out the second story window. It's that, or deal with me.

Your choice, Lieutenant.

[equinamity]

[Fine.]

Then please make it quick.

[Look, Roy. You don't get lots of opportunities to see her this awkward, this uncomfortable, and this visibly fidgity. It's only happened once or twice in her lifetime and it probably won't happen many times in the future.]

[So she sits up, hands folded, and frowning. She looks much like a cadet being scolded because truthfully she sometimes has the people skills of a rock.

[canhasfuhrer]

[It's not like he likes seeing her uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. He hates this with a passion, but he can't let it show. In any other circumstance, she'd be the one to see his vulnerable side, but with things like this... he can't. And after all, he's her commander. The leader. The man in charge, the man with the plan, the calm cool and collected one. A future ruler.]

[At least that's what he keeps telling himself mentally. None of it seems to be helping]

We've been avoiding each other for far too long. We can't keep going on like this.

[equinamity]

[She fidgets a bit under his gaze, crossing her arms.]

My apologies, sir.

[She can't even bear to look at him, because she doesn't want to see him uncomfortable any more than he likes seeing her uncomfortable. After a few moments of silence, she swallows.]

I...

[Ok. She can't say she didn't mean it. That would be a lie.]

I think it was those flowers...but...

[She stiffens. There is no way to say this without it being immensely awkward, and she's feeling increasingly uncomfortable. The idea of diving out the window is starting to look more and more appealing.]

Action ☆

[handsforhealing]

Mr Colonel Mustang?

[ Winry is shopping for supper ingredients; she's tired of the drone mother's cooking and it's time to do something about it. ] ... Are you okay? Your hand is sort of... [ She eyes the TV dinners next. ] Is that what you're having for supper?

[canhasfuhrer]

[Oh hey there Winry! Mustang wasn't expecting you, but he gives you a smile all the same while ignoring that first comment]

Nice to see you, Ms. Rockbell! Neither the Lieutenant or I really care for cooking, so this is usually the best option. It doesn't taste much worse than the cafeteria food back home.

[handsforhealing]

That can't possibly be good for you... You know, if you need it then I can just come over and cook something for you? It's not like my drone mother likes giving me kitchen rights anyway.

[canhasfuhrer]

Well who am I to say no to a home cooked meal? Though don't feel obligated - this junk isn't that much worse than mess hall food.

Grocery store

[answerer_sword]

[As she picks out her groceries, Bazett notices the bandage on the hand of the man standing next to her.]

...Had an accident?

[canhasfuhrer]

[He looks over and offers a smile - after all, he's nothing if not a charmer]

Something like that. Scars from an accident back home were returned to me, but Mayfield wasn't exactly... gentle in returning them.

[answerer_sword]

I had no idea Mayfield took scars as well.

[She does not seem to have noticed his smile.]

[canhasfuhrer]

Really? From what I've gathered, you lose anything Mayfield perceives as an 'imperfection' when you arrive. Scars, lost limbs, tattoos... the list goes on.

[Well too bad, he keeps smiling anyway]

[answerer_sword]

If those things can be received as regains, why have you not tried to trade it in at the post office to gain something actually useful?

Grocery Store

[queen_of_swords]

[Seeing him pick out the TV dinners, she can't help but feel like a comrade for a moments. She's had her fair share of them here.]

And people used to complain about the mess hall food.

[Some of that frozen stuff was far worse.]

[canhasfuhrer]

[For one brief moment, they're just that - comrades, as he smiles at her]

If only they knew how good they have it. I wouldn't mind bringing a few of these back just to keep them all quiet.

[queen_of_swords]

[And, well, now this is awkward. She starts to move on.]

I guess I owe you two a thanks for helping out when I was all hopped up on the goo from the surgery.

[Should she mention the thing with the flowers? No, she doesn't think so. He'd already known she wanted Riza at Briggs, and although she teased them about getting married, she knew it wasn't something they could do, not for a while at least.]

[canhasfuhrer]

[And whether it's a duty to troll her or something else, Roy starts to move with her]

You would have done the same for us. After taking pictures to torment us with later, I'm sure, but we're soldiers. We don't leave men behind.

[queen_of_swords]

Unfortunately, I don't have a camera, but I do have a friend who own one.

[No use mentioning that his pictures don't usually come out right.]

How long did Hawkeye avoid you?

[Yes, she already knows that stubborn woman would pretend the whole flower fiasco never happened. After all, Riza had tried keeping it from her that a homunculus was Fullmetal's assigned guardian here.]