DFR… Sorry for the wait! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it on my trip!! Happy New Year!! –Rissy!

Chapter 5

"God, Ed!" said Winry, meeting him in the hallway as he came back down for breakfast. "You're as red as a fucking tomato! What did theydo to you in there?"

Ed looked around anxiously and leaned a little closer. "Th-Th-They w-were-"

Winry rolled her eyes and held up her wrench threateningly. "Spit it out already! What'd you see?!"

"THE COLONEL AND THE LIEUTENANT WERE IN BED TOGETHER!" Ed exclaimed, cowering beneath her, but the words didn't strike her with quite the reaction he had built up to.

Lowering her wrench, she sighed. "Well, duh. Ed! There weren't enough double rooms for all the guests so someone had to share with Riza."

"W-Well yeah, but-!"

"But what?"

Very, very, very red in the face now, Ed grabbed her and pressed her against his chest. "They were up close like this," he said. "And her head was here, and his arms were here and their legs were all tangled up-"

Winry watched him position them both cynically. "Well, were they both… you know… dressed?"

Ed was about to reply, when Roy's voice behind him made him jump and stumble forward into Winry's chest.

"Ed, what on earth are you doing?"

"EDWARD ELRIC IF THIS WAS JUST AN EXCUSE TO FEEL ME UP, I AM GOING TO MURDER YOU!!"

Riza walked into the room behind Roy and was immediately faced with the sight of Ed being repeatedly hit in the head with the young mecha-manic mechanic's infamous wrench.

"Okay, then," said Roy, smirking. "Ed getting beat up by his girlfriend- there's nothing strange about that. Let's go, Rize."

Riza nodded and followed him silently. She frowned at Ed sympathetically as she passed, but couldn't help but chuckle softly as Ed started yelling out through the closed door to the kitchen.

"SHE IS JUST MY MECHANIC!!"

"What's wrong with Niisan and Winry?" asked Al, looking up from his breakfast as Roy and Riza walked in to sit to one side of him.

"He stuck his head in her chest and now she's attempting to murder him with that wrench of hers," said Roy, seeming very pleased with himself.

"It was really all Roy's fault," Riza clarified, at Al's look of disbelief. "Completely accidental on Edward's part."

"Oh, I see."

"Sure, ruin my fun, Riza…"

Riza just smiled. "I believe that it's in my job description, sir. Besides, as it's my birthday, I should be allowed to have my fun."

Roy just grinned as he reached for one of the bowls in the middle of the table and filled it with chocolate cereal (easily ignoring the fruit and yoghurt that were set down beside it) and tipped his head to the side for a second to kiss her check quickly. "Happy birthday, then. And feel free to have fun making a fool of me for the rest of the day."

"I will," Riza agreed, eyes crinkling slightly in mirth. "In fact… I think I'll impose on you the worst punishment –I'm sorry, I honestly meant 'best fun'- of all!"

Al watched the playful exchange out of the corner of his eye, smiling secretly.

"Gods, what're you gonna do to me, Rize?" asked Roy, playing along with a look of mock-horror on his face.

"You have to be nice to Edward all day- and not even tease him about Winry-chan. At all. Or else."

"Thatis evil."

"It would make me very, very happy," said Riza, pouting cutely.

"I'lltry."

"Good boy."

A flicker of mischief crossed over Roy's face. "So now I'm Hayate, am I?" he asked her. Riza smirked and Roy barked obliging, reaching up a paw –hand- to pat at her elbow as he panted, with his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"Roy, not at the table," Riza reprimanded him firmly, but smilingly.

Roy just flashed her a rather wolfish grin and leaned over and gave her cheek one big slobbery doggy kiss, causing Riza to cry out and clasp a hand to her cheek. "Roy!" she gasped reproachfully as she reached for the handkerchief she kept in her sleeve and began cleaning it up.

"You're blushing," he told her smugly. "A lot."

"Roy, did you honestly have to do that?" she complained, ignoring him, and turning her attention to the elderly woman who had just entered through the door at the other side of the room. "Grandmother! How are you feeling?" she asked, immediately rising from her seat and walking over to embrace her.

"I'm perfectly fine," said Elayna Grumman, frowning slightly. "But I heard that you were in hospital up until just recently- are you sure that you should be up and about?"

"I'm fine too, Grandmother," Riza assured her firmly. "Us military gals are tough as nails, remember? Now, why don't you come and sit down and have something to eat?"

"Oh, good. I think I will, dear. Then you can introduce me to all of you little friends."

Roy twitched a little at being called a 'little friend' but managed to smile warmly as Riza's Nana sat down near them.

"Goodness! It's Roy Mustang, isn't it! How you've grown since I last saw you- you were just a little boy!!" she cried, immediately recognizing him among the new faces. "I remember when you and my little Riza-chan used to play naked down by the lake together! You were so adorable when you were young-uns! Weren't they adorable, dear?"

Grumman agreed heartily, eyes twinkling as he sat down beside her. "Absolutely adorable!!"

Riza and Roy both coloured considerably and Ed made it a point to laugh extra loudly as he and Winry sat down, not even stopping when the latter hit him over the head with her wrench once again.

Riza's Nana turned to them, smiling politely. "Good morning, children! My name is Elayna Grumman, little Riza-chan's grandmother. You may call me 'Nana' if you wish."

"Morning, Nana," Ed and Winry replied obligingly.

"What may I call you two young-uns?"

"I'm Winry Rockbell," said the mechanic, smiling brightly. "And this here idiot is Edward Elric."

"Ah! Of course it is!" Elayna's eyes glittered. "I hear you have automail. Do you mind if I see it? I'm absolutely fascinated by automail!"

Ed grimaced and didn't reply as Winry suddenly began bouncing off the walls with excitement. "Ooh! Nana!! D'ya know what? I made it!!"

"Really?"

"YEAH!" Winry babbled excitedly. "Want me to tell you about it?!"

"Why, I would love that, dear!" Elayna replied, and thus, the rest of the meal passed quite happily and without further incident.

-

"Grandfather, what exactly have you got planned for this party you're apparently throwing me later?" asked Riza, watching Grumman carefully as the two of them strolled about the extensive grounds surrounding the house after breakfast.

"Why do you ask, Little Riza-chan? You don't trust me?" he replied innocently.

Riza frowned at his tone and paused to set her hands on her hips firmly. "Because I happen to remember rather explicitly how you tried to hook Aunt Alice up with a stripper at hers last year," she told him.

"But that worked out wonderfully!!" Grumman whined childishly, also coming to a halt. "Maybe her child won't be quite as obstinate as you and give me a great-grandkid before I go!"

"Grandfather, you are intolerable!! That baby isn't born yet and I'll bet you've already got a husband lined up!!"

Grumman looked mock-insulted. "Riza-chan, I resent that!! You have no respect for my special skill!!"

"Special skill, Grandfather?" Riza scoffed, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Of picking out husbands for my grandkids!" Grumman expanded, waving his arms around a little for emphasis. "Look how well I did with you after all!!"

"Withme?!"

"Mr Mustang, of course!! I've meant for the both of you to marry since you were children!!"

Riza found herself blushing furiously. "You fool!" she admonished him. "The Colonel and I are certainly not involved with each other!!"

"That's what you say now," her Grandfather chuckled jovially, apparently not at all perturbed by Riza's frustration. "You'll be singing a different tune by the end of your party tonight."

"So you do have something planned!!" Riza cried in anguish and Grumman's grin widened.

"Maybe a little," he admitted happily.

A short pause.

"Do you never give up?" Riza's voice was softer now and more resigned to her fate.

"Never ever," Grumman assured her.

"…And you think that your plan will work?"

Grumman looked absolutely euphoric. "Certainly!!" he exclaimed brightly. "In fact, let me tell you all about it!!"

-

"My plan begins consequent to the dinner your Grandmother is preparing for your guests with a few games. First off: Karaoke! Nothing like a cute little duet by the young couple to spark the old flame."

"Grandfather, don't be ridiculous. I don't sing and nor does Roy- it'd be painfully embarrassing!"

"Come now, Riza! You want this, don't you?"

"…"

"Don't you?"

"…More than anything Grandfather."

"Then co-op-er-ATE!"

Riza frowned as Grumman flicked her on the nose but nodded anyway. "Only tell me what I ought to do."

-

"Karaoke? Sure. Sounds fun," Roy agreed as Grumman handed him the microphone, but instead of going over to choose a song, as the old man had meant him to, he waved the microphone over his head and gestured to it. "Who wants to go first?"

The room was silent as Roy continued to offer the mic around. The silence didn't last for long, however. A moment later, Grumman had swept in again. "Perhaps we ought to give that honour to the birthday girl?" he suggested lightly, winking at Riza.

The crowd visibly relaxed- no one wanted to be the one to have to sing first.

"That sounds good," Roy agreed with a relieved smile, eager to get the mic out of his hands and offering it to Riza as instructed. "You up for it, Rize?"

"Well…" Riza replied, feigning embarrassment, just as the Grumman's back-up plan had suggested. "I suppose I could… but absolutely not alone."

"You want to sing a duet?" Roy asked, immediately casting his gaze out into the congregation and hoping that hers would follow.

It didn't.

"Won't you sing with me?" she asked, eyeing the mic that he was still holding and blinking her eyes up at him cutely.

"Uhh…?"

"…As it's my birthday?" Riza finished, flashing him an endearing little smile.

Roy glanced back at the other guests, all of whom were looking directly at him, and his cheeks reddened slightly. Eventually, he offered her a tiny smile. "Alright- why not. It is your birthday after all."

Riza beamed and gave him a little kiss on the cheek- something she had been nervous about doing at first, but found, to her surprise, came a lot easier than she had imagined. A cute little schoolgirl blush took up residence on her usually pallid cheeks as she drew back.

"Would you like to pick the song?" she asked, glancing down at the floor a fidgeting slightly- all an act, of course, for she wasn't the slightest bit nervous.

"I'll do that!" Grumman volunteered happily. "You guys just go and stand up on the stage and give me the thumbs up when you're ready!!"

Roy and Riza glanced at each other and nodded before making their way through the crowd to step up onto the pristine white wooden stage that Edward proudly claimed to have alchemised all on his own earlier that day. Another shared glance, the presentation of a second microphone, then the 'thumbs up' sign from Riza and the music began- a song that both Roy and Riza both instantly recognised from their childhood together. Up on the opposite wall an image flashing with the words they were about to sing and a marker stationed itself directly above the first word, Roy taking this as his cue.

"Party-
A rain of champagne
Sexy Lady-
A kiss for your escort?"

Swishing her skirts about her a little, Riza ducked over to give his cheek the desired peck.

"Now it's showtime
Despite a message of love
The moonlight
Vanished in an instant."

Roy made a pouty face which caused Riza to smile brightly.

"Rainy days are pleasant, but no thank you," she sang airily and Roy replied with: "Ohhh… A foolish lonely mannn."

"But that sort of scene is cute!"

"Drops soaking into our eyes…
Now I'll embrace you with these hands-
You see, I wanna set you on fire!"

Roy alchemised a tiny flame and stepped closer to Riza, dancing about a little to the music and holding the flame close to her cheek and resting his other hand on her hip.

"Tonight at midnight
Let's look for a star
That's a bit shy."

"Tomorrow morning at 11
We'll check out from
Loneliness together," Roy sang and the hand on her hip moved up to cup her cheek, but Riza only ducked away with a cute little smile.

A few steps off, she taunted him lazily.

"Dripping wet, you're like a puppy without skill!"

Roy pouted and ducked his head. "Ohh… I know I'm incompetent," he sang with a little sigh at the end.

"But it's okay to not always be strong."

"Wiping drops from your cheeks…" He stepped up to cup her cheek and this time she didn't pull away.

"Now I wanna hold you tight!
A siren of irony that estranges everyone
Rainy days are pleasant, but no thank you."

Both of Roy's hands fell to her hips, which she swirled in a circle sexily, moving her hands into his head and bringing his head close to hers so that when he sang next she could feel his breath on her nose.

"Ohh… A foolish lonely man!"

"But that sort of scene is cute," Riza assured him, ended with a breathy little giggle.

"Drops soaking into our eyes…"

"Now I'll embrace you with these hands," they sang together, then Roy pulled her flush against his chest and let off a firework like spark above their head which was small enough that it merely fizzled away before it reached them below.

"You see, I wanna set you on fire."

These last words were accompanied by a tiny kiss to the bridge of Riza's nose, where she had been only too conscious of his breath a moment before, another little giggle from her, and a rather vigorous applause ((and a few wolf whistles)) from all those congregated around ((ED'S)) stage.

"Brilliant! Brilliant!!" Grumman cheered them, stepping up onto the stage ((with a little outside help- he was an old man, after all)) with a microphone of his own in hand and a secret little wink to his granddaughter as he passed. "What a performance!! Who would like to go next!!"

Roy and Riza's daring performance had paved the road for all of the other embarrassed young couples and a moment later every other hand in the room shot up and people were actually crowding for the microphones that had seemed to have borne plague just a few minutes ago.

Roy's arm now securely around the birthday girl's slim waist, the two of them stepped offstage to give the floor to Maria and Denny, the latter of whom looked almost green with fear and the former looking absolutely delighted.

The next song, sung rather magnificently by the second pair was much slower ((moving around might just have caused poor Denny to throw up and if he did that on ED'S stage… well, he definitely wouldn't have anything to sing about…)) and several couples, led by Edward and Winry, oddly enough after the morning's row, began to dance to it.

About halfway through, Roy, who was standing rather awkwardly with Riza on the sidelines, also asked her to dance and the pair made their way out into the crowd to join them.

"You were beautiful," he told her quietly as they took up position –Roy's left hand on her waist and the other held in her own soft white hand- for the dance.

"And you," Riza reciprocated, equally softly. "You sing just as well as you did when we were children."

"It seems so long ago…"

"Itwas long ago, Roy," Riza reminded him, rather amused.

"I mean… since I was allowed to hold you like this."

"'Allowed'," Riza repeated, frowning slightly now.

Roy smiled encouragingly and squeezed her hand. "You know- the military, our peers, me being stupid definitely… I missed how close we used to be."

"We'll always be close, Roy- even if we aren't rolling around on the floor in mad tickle wars." The note of amusement had returned to her voice and it only served to make Roy smile wider.

"You remember?"

"How could I forget?" Riza mock-sighed. "You broke my arm slamming it against that desk!!"

"And I was punished brutally for it!!" Roy exclaimed loudly. So loudly, in fact, that a rather amused Kuri-chan, dancing nearby with Alphonse Elric ((and apparently giving him advice on how to ask Martel to be his partner for the next dance!!)) had to pause and comment, jokingly, on how it was generally considered taboo to talk during this sort of dance.

Kuri and Al danced off and silence fell between Roy and Riza, though both of them were smiling widely. Then, all too soon, the song was over and they separated.

"Uhmm… L'tenant, may I have this next dance?" Edward asked, reaching up to tap her on the shoulder before bowing gentlemanly. "I'm sure Colonel Ba- I mean, Colonel Mustang… wouldn't mind."

"You're not dancing with Winry?" asked Riza, a little surprised.

"I stepped on her foot and she hit me with her wrench," Ed admitted feebly, glaring at Roy as he laughed. "Anyway, now she's off with Al and I think they're going to dance when Paninya chooses her song."

Riza frowned. "Mind me just a second," she instructed the boys, and she walked off in couple's general direction, coming back a little while later with a smile on her face. "I would love to dance with you, Edward," she told him brightly. "And Roy, I believe young Miss Winry would be quite honoured if you were to ask her to dance."

"She refuses to dance with Alphonse as well?" Roy asked, raising his eyebrow slightly.

"Why no. In fact, it seems he's finally gathered the courage to make a move on his little Chimera friend," she informed him, and, flashing him half-a-glance of her gun with a grin, she took Ed's arm and they walked off to take their positions for the next dance.

Roy grinned too and off he went to beg a dance of Winry Rockbell. Because of course, being the sort of man that he was, nothing suited him better than getting his own back and dancing with the Fullmetal Shrimp's girl.

((TBC next chapter, my Duckies!!!!))