Opposites Attract

"Many a friendship, long, loyal, and self-sacrificing, rests on no thicker a foundation than a kind word."

~Frederick W. Faber

On some level, Riza Hawkeye had always known that life at the Military Academy would be extremely challenging, and she wasn't thinking of the coursework. After all, she recognized that her many years of homeschooling in a small town had ill-prepared her for the intricacies of socializing with an academy full of co-eds. But with each passing day, she grew more and more keenly aware that she was making social blunders left and right: she was apparently too quiet, too smart, and too serious to suit the majority of her peers. Though she'd never given very much thought to her own physical attributes, others evidently did, and either her pretty face made her too intimidating to approach or she was too plain and boring to be worth talking to, depending upon who one asked. And being assigned to a coveted single room as a first-year cadet didn't win her any popularity contests, either.

In contrast, Rebecca Catalina had been the center of attention in every room she'd occupied since she'd learned to speak. Precocious and observant, she'd developed a wicked sense of humor early on, which had netted her an entourage of superficial admirers wherever she went. Pretty and clever and loud, Rebecca was impossible to overlook. But the same qualities discouraged most people from looking beyond the surface, and Rebecca knew that none of her 'friends' could honestly claim they knew her. When she had announced her intention to join the military, even her own family had been baffled until she'd winked and added that it was a target-rich environment she couldn't ignore. And she while she would never deny that it was a part of her motivation, finding herself an eligible bachelor wasn't Rebecca's primary reason for enlisting. Deep down, she longed for the camaraderie she'd observed among the soldiers of her acquaintance. Rebecca wanted what they had – the kind of friendships that she'd be willing to fight and die for.

That first day on the practice range had been an eye opener for both of them.*

Catalina had always gotten along better with the boys, but those bonds usually fell apart as soon as jealous girlfriends interfered or when unrequited feelings developed (regardless of whose side they developed on). She'd been disappointed to discover that the young men and women in the military academy were no different in that respect than her scores of superficial and fickle civilian 'friends.' So when the pretty, soft-spoken blonde who'd always seemed so cold and aloof had dazzled the entire class with her marksmanship and then proceeded to stammer in doe-eyed confusion when Rebecca introduced herself, Rebecca only saw the opportunity to befriend someone else who knew what it was like to be judged based solely on appearances.

Hawkeye hadn't even realized how lonely she'd become until Catalina fast-talked her way into her life. Overnight, she had an ally against the jealous and the petty, a stalwart defender who was more than willing to take on Hawkeye's battles as if they were her own. She had a companion to sit with during mealtimes, one who didn't mind if she'd rather listen quietly than prattle on about the insignificant minutiae of her day. She had a person who was genuinely and openly pleased to see her whenever they met, whose warm and cheerful presence made her smile genuinely in return. And, perhaps most importantly, she had someone for whom she apparently fulfilled a reciprocal role.

Though their relationship had had a slightly unconventional beginning, Hawkeye and Catalina grew to depend on each other's friendship far more quickly than either girl could have anticipated.

A.N. Dedicated to Sweetdeath04, who asked the question that released a whole herd of rabid plot bunnies.

* See Infinite Arms, Chapter 4 for the rest of that story. Look at that - shameless self-promotion. I never knew I had it in me! :D