Perception, Not Deception
by Kurama-Sweethart
Pairings: Lust x Riza, Lust x Havoc and Lust x Roy, Implied Royai
Warnings: Spoilers for chapters 38 through 40 of the manga
Words: 1577
Author's Note: This fic can be slightly confusing to those who have not read at least through chapter 39 of the manga, since the majority of the events are taken directly from the dialogue.
She misses her more than she likes to admit, dedicating her thoughts to stupid, meaningless things like when the Colonel will run out of ink in his fountain pen or what time to feed Hayate, just to keep her mind off the woman that she can't hide from forever.
She often finds herself thinking back to their last meeting; a cold, rainy September in which the air was crisp and smelling of the freshly harvested apple crop. She had been nestled comfortably on her couch, leafing through a ten-cent romance novel that Fuery had left on the table in the break room, when the familiar click of her back door being opened aroused Hayate from her feet.
"It's okay, boy," she whispers, pulling a pistol from her drawer and aiming at the door: just in case. "I'd hoped you would come tonight."
The woman at the door closes it idly, draped in black lace and velvet, and stalks towards her with eyes much akin to a cat when stalking its prey. "I've been busy. I'm sure you're aware."
Riza laughs, a low, dark chuckle that only her lover has seen. "Of course I know about all the trouble you've been stirring up."
"Envy was quite oppose to learning about my visiting you," Lust hisses, hovering in the shadows, mere inches from where the lieutenant is seated. "But I assured him of my confidence in your loyalty."
"You make me sound like a spy," Riza replies darkly, shifting from the light to run light fingers down the blunt curve of the homunculus' hip, pulling it towards her. "I'd like to think I'm more than that."
Lust purrs, closing her eyes and grinning widely. "He doesn't need to know what you really are." The homunculus murmurs, blindly sliding her own, gloved hands across the lieutenant's naked breasts.
Riza groans a reply, standing to press her body against Lust's, mouthing at her neck almost greedily. "I assume you want to know about the Brigadier General." She whispers.
"You know me too well," The homunculus says breathily, allowing her fingers to find the spot between the lieutenant's legs that makes her squirm. "I trust you removed those files?"
"Naturally," Riza hisses, unable to protest as she is pressed against a wall. "Colonel Mustang kept the records concerning Brigadier General Hughes' death near him. Disposing of them and evidence of murder was much easier done than said."
Nipping at the lieutenant's neck, Lust hums her satisfaction, thrusting her extended fingers into the slick cavity presented to her. "Perfect."
"I also heard," Riza continues bitterly, her voice husky as she struggles to stifle a moan, "that you're seeing Lieutenant Havoc for information, as well,"
Snarling, Lust sinks her teeth into the smooth junction of neck and shoulder, causing the other woman to cringe and gasp. "While true," She replies defensively, sucking at the wound. "He doesn't know my true identity or that he is helping our cause at all."
"What information can he give you that I can't?" Riza asks, genuinely curious. Before Lust can reply, she captures the woman's dark lips with her own and aggressively thrusts her tongue into the homunculus' cold mouth.
Smirking, Lust pulls away. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, doll," She whispers into her ear, tracing the delicate shell with her tongue. "But your Colonel is telling Jean some things that he doesn't trust you with."
"What are you talking about?" Riza snaps, rolling her hips over the homunculus' hand, still positioned between her legs. "That Colonel Mustang is suspicious of me?"
Nodding, Lust closes her eyes once more, using a free hand to caress the lieutenant's breast. "That man is sharp. I can't be certain how he does it, but he's got the notion that you aren't to be trusted." She pauses to open an eye and peer at Riza's inquisitive face, "But I find it hard to believe that you'd ever slip up."
"Is that all?" Riza laughs, a same low, deep sound that causes her throat to shudder. "The colonel is suspicious of everyone, especially since Hughes' death." Smirking, she rocks one last time before her climax, leaning against the wall. "I know I haven't slipped."
"That's my girl," Lust says gently, nuzzling at Riza's neck. "I hope you don't think my affairs with Jean are because I don't trust you."
Sighing, the lieutenant purrs as the homunculus continues to work her to a second orgasm. "No. I know that you would never have come here if you didn't trust me."
Moments of silence passed the two, before finally Lust pulls away and plants one last rough kiss on the lips of her blonde lover, just as the clock in the hall chimes for midnight. "I should be getting back, now." She murmurs, disappearing back into shadows. "I may not be around for a while, there are some affairs in-"
"Dublith," Riza interrupts, still slumped against the wall. "I know."
It is usually at this point that something or another snaps her out of her reverie, Hayate whining to go out or Mustang shirking his paperwork. That's all that she wants to remember, anyway, not caring to contemplate what could be happening in Dublith or who could be killed, this time.
She learns soon enough that when faced with the decision to see Lust again, she'd have preferred to stay childishly ignorant of the homunculus' true nature.
Deception.
"Miss Lieutenant Hawkeye," Lust purrs, just as she has countless times before. Alphonse and Barry seem to know her, as well, but all Riza can do is gape.
Lust wasn't supposed to be there.
She's saying things Riza knows aren't true, things about human sacrifice and killing them all… "You will be joining your superior soon enough."
"You bitch," She screams, firing round after round into the perfect, flawless body that has haunted her dreams for months. Lust crumples for a moment before standing again, blood dripping from where her bullets stung her, blemishing her like a dropped porcelain doll.
"Are you finished?" Lust says quietly, gazing at her almost mournfully.
Riza purses her lips and squeezes her eyes shut, hanging her head. "You killed Roy." She murmurs, dropping to her knees.
"You worked against him." The homunculus replies, shrugging. "You knew this would happen."
Shaking her head, Riza squints against the tears and tries to ignore the way her voice cracks. "I didn't want him to die! You weren't supposed to be here! You can't make me choose between you and-"
"The Colonel?" Lust intervenes, smiling wickedly. "Or are you just scared to admit that you love him?"
Alphonse and Barry are standing by, idly, gaping at the lieutenant in surprise. No one ever assumed that she, loyal dog of the military, would be working for the side of sin.
She doesn't remember much after that, just Alphonse standing between her and Lust, claiming that he won't allow her to die in front of his eyes.
He doesn't realize that Lust could never kill her.
The homunculus finally falls to her own knees, screeching obscenities at the voice that had suddenly appeared. "To gain the initiative in battle," It said, something that Riza had heard before. "First you have to take away the mobility of your enemy."
Lust snorts, standing. "Didn't you say before, bitch, that you had a long way to go before you died?" Colonel Mustang continued, his arm outstretched and clutching Havoc's lighter. "If that is the case, then I'll just keep killing you until you-"
A blast of flames, curling around her until she screamed in agony, beautiful body charred to black.
"Lust!" Riza cried, but her voice was muffled by the fire, cackling as it tore apart the homunculus' body.
Moments passed, and when the smoke cleared, Lust was lay crumpled at the Colonel's feet. "How vexing, but…" She choked, "But getting killed by a man like you is not so terrible at all. This pair of honest eyes that show no hesitation… I really like them." The homunculus continued, her body slowly degenerating as she continued to look up at her killer. "Oh, what joy: For these eyes, the agony of silently suffering these twisted days is- soon, will be-"
She was gone. Nothing but bones and a small, pulsing stone was left.
"Lust… Colonel, I-" Riza stammered, rushing towards the man who had fallen as well. "I didn't want this to happen." She mentally screamed at such petty words, but it was all she could get out.
"You gave up, Lieutenant." He rasped, "You lost hope when you were told of my death. That is unacceptable behavior as a soldier-"
Riza wasn't listening, couldn't bring herself to really care. Lust's last words were running through her head, echoing something that she could never tell her. "You were sleeping with her, weren't you?" She asked suddenly, glaring down at her superior.
"As were you," He responded haughtily, staring at the tall ceiling of the laboratory. "And as we're both aware, as was Havoc."
"She was really something," Riza murmured, gazing thoughtfully at the remains of the homunculus.
The Colonel looked at her for a long time, cold eyes softening; just a little. "Did you love her, lieutenant?"
"As much as one could love a pretty face." She responded lightly, a tone that said clearly that she didn't want to talk about it any longer. "Come on, sir. We should get you to a hospital."
Fin.
Didn't quite turn out how I'd have liked, but I'm pleased with it at any rate. I've been dying to write some Lust x Riza, and this was the only time I could think of that they interacted in canon. I hope you enjoyed.