[ it's an interesting experience, to watch this side of roy from the receiving end. to have his eyes turned on her while his mind shifts and moves and prepares. she is so used to seeing it from the side, from the back, watching the way his shoulders would tense or his arms would cross. here, she can see his eyes, can see the cogs turning, can watch him as he puts the pieces in play.
if she's being honest, it's thrilling. she doesn't know why, because there should be some part of it that terrifying, but she can meet his eyes here and know (or at least guess) what he's trying to do, and.
riza's eyes dart away briefly before returning, the shock and surprise of the whole ordeal overwhelming her momentarily. but she keeps breathing, keeps herself steady, and when she does look back to him it's just in time to catch that look of deflating confidence (which, really, feels impossible despite knowing better) before she does, finally, answer him. and maybe it's not as direct as it could be, but it is an answer and he. laughs.
something flutters in her chest at that. even as her lips curl into a knowing smile, one brow arching. ] I'm not here to give you easy victories, sir. [ because that's true, she's not, but her focus isn't necessarily on the implications of that so much as it is on the way he closes the distance just a little more, hands hanging in his pockets easily, and her chest is still tight.
there is more to this she should be considering. the rules they're breaking, the lines they're crossing, the fact that roy mustang is standing in front of her with his heart on his sleeve asking her on a date and the world isn't, somehow, falling down around them. she crosses her arms over her chest, though it's more relaxed than anything, as her head tilts from one side to the other, as if she's considering. ]
Should I be worried about your gambling habits? [ a beat, before she lets out another breath of air, still smiling, still light. it sounds a bit like she's rolling her eyes, which she would if she could get past the loud beating in her chest. ]
Yes. I'm saying yes, I will go to dinner with you.
[ the relief is palpable. roy has faced off against monsters, immortality, death, war . . . but that was likely the most terrifying thing he had ever been through. and while she says yes, it's her body language that really sets roy at least. the crossing of her arms, the arch of her eyebrows, the dryness of her tone. it truly is okay, and roy is suddenly cognizant of the proximity. and the way the hair falls into her eyes, and it's getting . . . longer . . .
focus. ]
Good.
[ warmly, and, without missing a beat, roy continues. ]
Any bad habits that I need to fix would surely have been brought to my attention by now.
[ as he turns, and gently nudges his shoulder against hers, indicating she should follow. he did say he wanted to go for a walk, and being siderailed aside, he did want to explore more. now, he can do so in a much better mood. ]
Impulsivity, arrogance, being too stubborn. Laziness, procrastination. Impatience. Having a temper. Am I missing any?
[ the more he goes on, the more he realizes he owes riza several dinners, for tolerating him . . . but he can work his way up to that amount of groveling when he makes his way to taking her out to dinner. ]
[ she sees the relief wash over him, and it appears...not weird, necessarily. but a bit ridiculous. was he really that worried? was there even, really, a chance she would have said no? riza has to seriously consider that question, really, because despite how obvious the fact that she would always - always - be at roy's side might be, having roy actually ask? have it be said, out loud? that's...different. that's harder. that's...well. she supposes is an accurate enough reason to look so relieved in the fact of a simple dinner.
( is it really simple, though? )
riza sighs all the same, her eyes rolling ever so slightly - again, a familiar enough expression for roy. ]
All bad habits have been brought to your attention, sir. Repetitively. With little to no acknowledgement or correction.
[ and yet, here she is, unable to keep the soft curl of her lips out of the way of a small smile. roy is casual about it all, warm, nudging her shoulder like this had all simply been part of the plan, and riza wants to admit it feels familiar. that all of this is normal. except that it's not, is it? because he bumps his shoulder against her's and the feeling is hot, quick to spread, shooting across her shoulders and down her spine. it's different, but not bad, and riza watches as he indicates she should follow him.
( into hell, if asked. ) ]
Recklessness, tendency towards martyrdom, I would go as far as to mention laziness again.
[ and she begins to walk, falling into step next to him like it's as easy as breathing, like it's the only place she would consider herself to be.
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if she's being honest, it's thrilling. she doesn't know why, because there should be some part of it that terrifying, but she can meet his eyes here and know (or at least guess) what he's trying to do, and.
riza's eyes dart away briefly before returning, the shock and surprise of the whole ordeal overwhelming her momentarily. but she keeps breathing, keeps herself steady, and when she does look back to him it's just in time to catch that look of deflating confidence (which, really, feels impossible despite knowing better) before she does, finally, answer him. and maybe it's not as direct as it could be, but it is an answer and he. laughs.
something flutters in her chest at that. even as her lips curl into a knowing smile, one brow arching. ] I'm not here to give you easy victories, sir. [ because that's true, she's not, but her focus isn't necessarily on the implications of that so much as it is on the way he closes the distance just a little more, hands hanging in his pockets easily, and her chest is still tight.
there is more to this she should be considering. the rules they're breaking, the lines they're crossing, the fact that roy mustang is standing in front of her with his heart on his sleeve asking her on a date and the world isn't, somehow, falling down around them. she crosses her arms over her chest, though it's more relaxed than anything, as her head tilts from one side to the other, as if she's considering. ]
Should I be worried about your gambling habits? [ a beat, before she lets out another breath of air, still smiling, still light. it sounds a bit like she's rolling her eyes, which she would if she could get past the loud beating in her chest. ]
Yes. I'm saying yes, I will go to dinner with you.
no subject
focus. ]
Good.
[ warmly, and, without missing a beat, roy continues. ]
Any bad habits that I need to fix would surely have been brought to my attention by now.
[ as he turns, and gently nudges his shoulder against hers, indicating she should follow. he did say he wanted to go for a walk, and being siderailed aside, he did want to explore more. now, he can do so in a much better mood. ]
Impulsivity, arrogance, being too stubborn. Laziness, procrastination. Impatience. Having a temper. Am I missing any?
[ the more he goes on, the more he realizes he owes riza several dinners, for tolerating him . . . but he can work his way up to that amount of groveling when he makes his way to taking her out to dinner. ]
no subject
( is it really simple, though? )
riza sighs all the same, her eyes rolling ever so slightly - again, a familiar enough expression for roy. ]
All bad habits have been brought to your attention, sir. Repetitively. With little to no acknowledgement or correction.
[ and yet, here she is, unable to keep the soft curl of her lips out of the way of a small smile. roy is casual about it all, warm, nudging her shoulder like this had all simply been part of the plan, and riza wants to admit it feels familiar. that all of this is normal. except that it's not, is it? because he bumps his shoulder against her's and the feeling is hot, quick to spread, shooting across her shoulders and down her spine. it's different, but not bad, and riza watches as he indicates she should follow him.
( into hell, if asked. ) ]
Recklessness, tendency towards martyrdom, I would go as far as to mention laziness again.
[ and she begins to walk, falling into step next to him like it's as easy as breathing, like it's the only place she would consider herself to be.
maybe because it is. ]