The night was cool, and the breeze was chilling, but considering it was February, the weather wasn't half bad. Roy Mustang walked down the bustling streets of Central Amestria, searching for a particular shop. He tucked his hands into his pockets, shivering slightly from the cold breeze before spotting his destination up ahead and darting hastily into the small shop.

A small bell jingled, announcing his entrance. He walked up the counter, jostling through a large crowd of anxious customers, stepping up to face the woman at the cashier.

She glanced up at the sound of his footsteps, recognition slipping over her features at the sight of his face. She let out a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Don't tell me," she began, laughter still in her voice. "You want four roses. Exactly four roses."

Roy couldn't help but smirk. "No more, no less, ma'am."

She rolled her eyes, ducking behind the counter. "You sure are a strange one," she commented. "I'm sure your girlfriend would prefer a full bouquet. Or, at this point, maybe she'd prefer a wedding band."

The smirk remained on the young Colonel's face as the woman retrieved the four roses. She held them out, waiting for him to take out his money. She eyed his wallet, raising an eyebrow.

"You're still cheap, but you don't look as poor as the first time you stepped in here," she commented casually. "Can't you afford at least a dozen roses?"

"I could," he admitted, exchanging his money for the roses. "But-"

"This lady's been with you for a while, hasn't she?" the cashier persisted. "You'd think she'd expect a little more after a while."

Roy let out a thoughtful sigh, shrugging. "What can I say? She's different from other women."

"She'd have to be to stick with a cheap-o like you," she agreed, laughing. Roy smiled in return, backing away with a thankful nod. A line was forming behind him.

"See you next year," he called as he walked away, trying to hide a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the cashier laughed. "I'll make sure to put aside the right amount of roses for you again, Romeo."

Roy stepped back out into the cold air, holding onto his miniature bouquet. He glanced down at them before looking up again, starting back through the shop window at the other men and women who were anxiously buying last minute Valentine's Day gifts. He had been laughing a moment ago, but maybe the saleswoman was right. Perhaps it was tacky to buy just four roses.

Roy shook the thought away, heading off down the street. One thing he was sure of was that Riza didn't want to be drowned in dozens of roses. She wasn't the type of woman who bought into holidays like this one, and if Roy was going to get away with celebrating it, he'd have to put some meaning behind his gifts, or she wouldn't take it seriously.

He stared up into the sky as he walked, chuckling softly. "Hughes, I bet if you were here, you'd side with the saleswoman, wouldn't you?" He laughed gently, trying to imagine what his old friend would say, if he could see Roy celebrating this silly holiday he had once scorned. "I guess that right now, you're probably shaking your head along with her, even though you should be happy enough from the fact that I'm bothering to do anything." He smiled to himself, feeling nostalgic as he remembered back to the holidays he had spent while Hughes was alive, and how excited his friend was for Valentine's Day. It was the perfect holiday for a sap like Hughes.

Roy traced his memory back further to four years earlier, when he had celebrating this holiday for the first time. He hadn't exactly intended to make a big deal out of it, but somehow, a sudden impulse had morphed into a yearly tradition.

---

"Another Valentine's Day, single."

Roy glanced up at Havoc, who was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on his desk, staring at the ceiling light with a dead look in his eyes.

"Honestly, this holiday is completely pointless," Havoc grumbled.

Roy, pouncing on the opportunity to abandon his paperwork, set down his pen as he addressed his subordinate. "Then why are you so worked up over it?" he demanded. Havoc was unshaven, draped lazily over his desk and chair, and appeared to be a complete wreck. Even the way he talked made him seem like a mess. "Besides, with the way to look right now, it's no wonder no woman wants to go out with you."

Ignoring the last statement, Havoc explained, "Sir, it's just a holiday designed to make losers like us feel worse. As if we're not miserable enough all year long, subconsciously realizing we're worthless schmucks, this holiday was invented to rub it in, and remind the entire world what losers we are."

Roy frowned. "Don't drag me into this," he argued, not liking the way Havoc had phrased his response. "If I wanted to, I could have gotten a date for tonight."

"Then why didn't you?" Havoc challenged.

Roy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Because I didn't want to."

"Sure…"

The conversation was immediately brought to an end as the door opened and Riza stepped in, carrying a stack of paperwork in her arms. Roy shivered, watching in horror as the pile came closer to him. At the last second, Riza swerved and planted it on her own desk, but turned something even worse in Roy's direction – her piercing, annoyed gaze.

He reached for his pen immediately, trying to conceal the fact that he was neglecting his work again, but it was too late; Riza had already spotted him, and was making her way over to his desk.

"Sir, the paperwork isn't going to do itself," she reminded him in a strict tone.

"But I might have to if I don't get a date for tonight," Havoc moaned.

Riza shot him a dirty look, silencing him once again.

Roy sighed. "I was simply trying to cheer up Havoc," he explained.

"You were defending your own pathetic ass," Havoc shot back in a childish tone.

Riza looked back and forth between the two, letting out a tired sigh. "Really, holidays such as these are no excuse for not working. Valentine's Day is insignificant to what we do in the office. Besides," she added, making her way back to the door again, "moping like this isn't going to get you a date."

"I'm not moping, Havoc is!" Roy cried out in a juvenile tone, not noticing how childish he sounded.

Havoc sat upright, shouting out, "See? You are being defensive!"

Riza let out a sigh, opening the door before turning back, addressing Roy. "Colonel, you had better get started on that work." She nodded over to the pile on her desk, explaining, "I have another pile of paperwork twice that size downstairs, and it has your name on it."

Roy shuddered as she closed the door, dreading the paperwork. He picked up his pen immediately, scribbling at a rate twice as fast as before. "Don't you have any work to do?"

"What does it matter?" Havoc groaned. It was silent for a moment before he asked, "Do you think the lieutenant celebrates Valentine's Day?"

"It didn't seem like it from the way she was talking about it," Roy commented without looking up from his work.

Havoc was thoughtful for a moment before starting again. "Well, Hawkeye never says much about her outside life in the office, either way. She could be hiding it."

"She never mentioned it to me."

"And why would she tell you?" Havoc asked.

Roy shrugged quietly. "I'd like to think she'd confide in me." As he said the words, he couldn't help but begin to doubt himself.

"Right!" Havoc cried out, snapping his fingers. "Right, sometimes I forget you two go back so far, because she always seems so stiff in the office. Is she like that outside of work, too?"

"Well, she's usually not yelling at me to do my paperwork," Roy laughed, "but…I guess, she is who she is."

"I wonder what kind of guy she goes for," Havoc continued thoughtfully.

Roy glanced up again, shooting Havoc an annoyed glance. "Don't go getting any ideas."

Havoc laughed obnoxiously. "What are you talking about, Colonel? You sure jumped to the wrong conclusion pretty quickly. Perhaps it's because you're the one with the ideas in his head."

Roy immediately turned back to his papers. "Don't be silly."

"Like I said, you two go back a ways," Havoc commented, talking mostly to himself. "It doesn't seem too unlikely that you'd develop a crush on her."

Crush was quite an unfitting word for whatever it was Roy felt for Riza. It was a strange mix of deep trust, devotion, and friendship; a mere feeling more than anything else, and something he definitely couldn't put into words. Somehow, crush was the last word he would ever think of to cover how he felt about his lieutenant.

He couldn't help but wonder if she did have a date for Valentine's Day, though. She didn't seem like the type who'd get into these kinds of holidays but who knows? Perhaps someone she was interested in liked to celebrate commercial days such as this one, and had talked her into it?

For a moment, Roy laughed to himself, thinking Riza would never commit to anyone who was interested in silly holidays such as this one. But then again, she had stuck beside him for so long, even though he wasn't always the most reasonable person, either.

Just as he thought this, the lieutenant stepped back into the room, carrying a large stack of papers, just as she had promised. She placed them down on Roy's desk with a thud, peering around the mass to meet his eyes.

"If you at least try to finish this, I'll help you fill some of it out once I finish my work," she promised him, turning to return to her desk.

Roy let out a sigh of relief, the dread slipping away. "Thanks, lieutenant." Feeling a pair of eyes on him, he glanced over at Havoc, who was winking at him. Roy ducked back behind the paperwork, ignoring the second lieutenant.

The subject of Valentine's Day wasn't been brought up again during the remainder of their workday. They all talked while they did their work, but avoiding the subject as if it were diseased. It wasn't until after Riza had left the office that Havoc pounced onto the subject once again.

"I really don't get it," he moaned, pulling his coat over his uniform. "Usually, girls dig the soldiers, but lately I can't get a single woman to so much as look in my direction!"

Roy tossed his scarf around his neck, letting out a tired yawn. "It's hard to manage a girlfriend and being a soldier at the same time."

"Even if I didn't have a girlfriend, I'd at least like someone to celebrate with," he remarked in a more serious tone. "I guess this holiday just makes me feel lonely in general."

Roy had never really thought about it too much until then. Havoc waved, setting off in a separate direction from the Colonel, who was now lost in thought. He had never been particularly lonely on this day, or thought about how other people might feel. His thoughts returned to Riza, who had left the office alone that night. For a moment, he wondered if she had made it home safely and if she, too, felt lonely on this holiday.

"Or maybe it's like Havoc suggested, and she already has a date," Roy thought aloud, setting off down the frozen sidewalk.

He thought of what Havoc had said about him and Riza, and how long they had known each other. Roy appreciated Riza and everything she did for him, yet he had never bothered to show it.

Up ahead, he spotted a shop, selling flowers to last minute shoppers. He shook away the thought as soon as it entered into his head.

I can't give her flowers. That's tacky! What can a flower say about how I feel about all she's done for me? It'd be like I was understating everything we've gone through together. Besides, he thought, I'm almost completely broke.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the last money he had. Payroll was still two days off, and his fridge was sure to be empty soon. Still, wouldn't it mean something if he used that last scrap of money for her? Perhaps that could show at least the beginnings of how grateful he was for her.

Before he could think twice, Roy's feet had led him into the shop. He walked straight up to the counter, not giving himself the opportunity to consider how silly he was being. He placed the little money he had on the counter, meeting the gaze of the saleswoman.

"Can I…help you?" she asked in skeptical tone.

A feeling of awkwardness rushed over Roy, but he tried to keep his voice steady as he responded. "I'd like as many flowers as I can get for this money."

She glanced down at the small amount, frowning. "I'm afraid you can't get much of anything from that," she admitted.

"Not even half a dozen?" he asked. She stared at him with large, dumbfounded eyes, so he tried another bargain. "One flower?"

She let out a sigh, glancing back and forth from his dark eyes to the small portion of money. "What good is one flower going to do you?" she asked in an unsure tone, though she was reaching towards a small bouquet, retrieving a single rose for him. "If anything, your girlfriend's probably is going to take it offensively."

"I don't think she will," Roy argued. "She's not that kind of person."

"I guess you're lucky, then," she said, passing him the single rose. "Good luck, Romeo."

He let out a sigh of relief, gripping gently onto the fragile stem. "Thank you," he murmured.

He felt silly walking down the street with a single rose in his hand, and even sillier as he knocked on Riza's door, wishing more than ever that he had just let things be. After all, it was what Havoc had said that got him to act like this, and look how unsuccessful he had been with women! Roy was about to give up, figuring Riza was out with another man, just as the door swung open.

"Colonel?" she called out, stepping aside. "What are you doing here?" She glanced down at the single rose in his hand, letting out a sigh. He winced, bracing himself for whatever she was going to say, when she merely commented, "were you dumped, sir?"

He let out a shaky laugh. "Not quite yet." He looked down at the flower and, unable to find fitting words to go along with it, handed it over to her. "This holiday is pretty useless, so I decided to make something out of it, and say…thank you."

"Helping you with the paperwork was no problem, sir," she assured him, ignoring the rose. "You really didn't need to go out of your way to thank me. You're letting the holidays get to your head."

"Not just the paperwork, lieutenant," he cut her off. "Everything. I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me up until now." As he said it, the flower in his hand seemed to weigh less and less. Why had he bothered with it? Saying he was thankful was enough. The cashier had been right; buying just one rose took away from his intentions. He dropped his hand, the flower falling to his side. "The flower was just a stupid addition to the scene. I guess the holiday did get to my head."

She glanced down at the small rose in his hand before looking back up at him, a smile slipping across her face. Roy began to grin himself, though he wasn't entirely sure why. For some reason, seeing Riza's rare, genuine smile always made him want to join her. Her golden eyes fell back to the flower, and she continued to smile. "I appreciate it, Colonel. All of it," she insisted, reaching for the rose. He passed it over to her hands, feeling a little self-conscious, but relieved as well. "Now I wish I had done something as well."

And she said I was getting sucked into the holiday, he thought to himself, a grin spreading across his face. "Not laughing at me was more than enough," he assured her.

She stepped to the side. "It's freezing out there, why don't you come in?"

---

Roy knew that what he had said and done wasn't enough, but each year, he had tried to make it up to her just a little it more. Each rose represented each year since that Valentine's Day. Riza never paid much attention to the roses, and accepted them with nothing more than a polite 'thank you' each year, but Roy knew that she appreciated what they symbolized. He glanced down at the four in his hand, excited by how far they had come, and having no idea how many flowers he had to buy in the future.

When they finally reached a full bouquet, he had actually persuaded her to let him treat her to dinner in celebration, and they had actually gone out, amidst all the love struck romantics, to a restaurant. People became so crazy on that day that it too quite a bit of persuading to get Riza to leave the house. They had ended up having fun, though, comparing the lovesick couples to their beloved friend Hughes, and imagined and laughed over how he would have reacted to Roy actually going out on Valentine's Day

Two-dozen roses made them nostalgic, remembering the times when Roy had barely brought back half a bouquet. They had sat side-by-side on their couch, laughing at the old memories as rain pattered against their window. The bad weather was invisible to them, and nearly drowned out by the loud noises of children scurrying up and down the halls, laughing as they chased one another back and forth.

As the years went on Roy, who had once felt ridiculous walking down the street with a single rose in his hand, was walking with his arms overflowing with dozens of roses, to their apartment. Eventually, they reached three-dozen, but ended up being six short of four-dozen. Still, Roy continued to buy the flowers, not only from mere habit, but also from an honest desire to do so. Each year, the flower's meaning seemed to increase, but even when Riza wasn't there to smell their soft fragrance any longer.

There was a large heap of roses laid out on her grave that Valentine's Day, so many that it would seem obnoxious to anyone who didn't know the meaning behind each one. Forty-two roses, all lying around a block of stone, and one, old man, hoping that somehow, somewhere, she was smiling down at the flowers, remembering the same things from their long, distance past as he was in that very moment. Perhaps Hughes was laughing along, too. Maybe, someday soon, Roy would be up there, laughing along with them.

But in that moment, and for the time being, he didn't need to rush things. He had his memories, the flowers, and their family to keep him company. For the past forty-two years, and all the years to come, he hadn't been lonely on Valentine's Day, all thanks to one, single rose.

Author's notes: I hope the fluffy-ness wasn't too overwhelming. I meant well with this, and I hope that you enjoyed it, at least a little bit. Please drop a review and let me know what you though of it!

Happy Valentine's Day!