A/N: I tried to resist, but I couldn't help myself. Enjoy!

Stupid Dogs

The rain started to pick up, drenching everything and bleaching the light from the world. Riza Hawkeye looked up into the sulking sky, raindrops splattering on her unguarded face. Black Hayate whined uneasily, tugging at his leash, seeming to say, "Come on! I don't want to stand out in the rain."

Riza shivered, tugging her coat more tightly over her shoulders. "Let's go Hayate."

"About time!" he seemed to agree, walking just ahead of his master, although he had learned long ago not to be unruly. Master didn't like it when he was unruly, but days when it rained she seemed especially strict. He wondered why, but he was only a dog. He could only comfort so much, protect so much. She needed another kind of dog in her life.

They walked for a while longer, back towards home, but the rain continued to pick up with every step they took. Although Riza was far from a pushover, there was really no good, sensible reason to stand out in the freezing rain. That proved nothing but stupidity.

A warm glow in the distance seemed to beckon to her, and as she approached she realized what it was: a tavern, likely just opening as the more upstanding businesses were closing for the evening. A drink certainly wouldn't kill her, might even help. Not to mention it would be undoubtedly warmer in there than it was out here.

So long as they allow dogs, Riza mused, giving Hayate a small smile.

The two entered the bar, Hayate promptly shaking the raindrops from his rough outer coat as Riza checked out the patronage. She only had two requirements for the bar: it didn't house military and it didn't house overly aggressive men, neither of which she was in the mood for.

The tavern, though, was relatively empty (more proof that the night was young) and seemed to give off a more homely feeling than a rambunctious one. She made her way to the bar, sitting down on the fairly comfortable chair and leaning against the smooth countertop.

She closed her eyes for a moment, not really letting down her guard so much as taking in her surroundings from a different point of view.

"Nice dog," a gruff voice commented. Riza slowly opened her eyes to see the bartender standing before her, polishing a goblet.

"Do you have a problem with dogs?" she asked, not in a threatening manner, but rather with a surprisingly passive tone. If they didn't allow dogs she would just trudge home in the rain; it really didn't make much of a difference to her at this point.

"No, just odd seeing a dog," he remarked, leaning back on his heels, peering over the top of the counter at Black Hayate. "He's a fine looking dog. Where'd you get him?"

"A friend," she answered shortly, not really in the mood for conversation.

"A boyfriend?"

"I really don't want to talk to you," she deadpanned, glaring at the man. He shrugged and turned away to wander to the opposite end of the bar.

"Call me if you want a drink," he said before making himself scarce. Letting out a slow, soft sigh Riza shut her eyes again. Work had exhausted her more than usual today. Right now she just wanted the rain and bad memories to all let up so that she could change out of her damp uniform and pretend to get some sleep.

The tinkling of a bell indicated that a new person had entered the tavern, but Riza paid no mind to whoever it was. Typically people who meant her harm had a certain feeling about them. The sleepy feeling of this place either drowned out all other feelings or the people within simply matched its somber mood.

Perhaps that was what had attracted her to this place.

If feeling alone gave some indication of the level of attraction for a thing or even a person, then perhaps that made a bit of sense.

To her surprise, the new patron walked directly towards her, but did not disturb her. Merely, the newcomer collapsed on the seat next to her.

"Drink please," the surprisingly young, surprisingly female voice called out. The bartender stomped over and hovered next to Riza again.

"Aren't you a bit young?" he asked in the same gruff voice, nonthreatening but curious.

"What does it matter if I'll pay?" the girl asked sharply. Riza had to watch this. She opened her eyes once more to observe the newest patron with a similar level of surprise as when she had heard her voice. The girl was obviously young, but more than that, she was obviously not from this country.

"It's okay; she's with me," Riza found herself saying to the bartender, who gave her an odd look before shrugging and filling up two mugs.

Plunking the glasses down on the counter in front of them he muttered, "Fine. Have it your way."

Riza reached out and grabbed one of the mugs after the bartender walked off, and the young girl next to her followed suit. For a moment the two young women sat in silence, sipping their warm drinks, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, the younger lady's manners won out.

"Thanks for that," she whispered, taking another swig from her drink.

"It's not a problem," Riza answered, swirling the contents of the cup. "What's someone like you doing here?" Although not normally one to pry, even Riza had to admit she was curious as to the girl's strange location. People from her land didn't normally travel this far.

"Someone like me meaning a young lady or a Xingese?" she asked with a small, polite smile.

"Considering I share one of those traits, I would have to say the latter," Riza clarified, smiling in return.

"You seem much more mature than me, though," the girl conceded before answering Riza's original question. "I'm here with a friend." Riza nodded and the two ladies went back to their drinks for a short time. After a moment, though, Riza noticed the younger girl looking down at the floor at something.

"Is this dog yours?" she asked, answering Riza's unspoken question.

"Yes, his name is Black Hayate."

"He seems like a very good dog," the girl mused. "You seem like the type who would train an animal properly. Fairly yet firmly." Perhaps it was that the drink had started clouding her vision and judgement, but for whatever reason Riza had to say something rather outside of her comfortable range.

"If only men were so easy," she answered. The other girl turned her attention away from the dog to look questioningly at Riza.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," Riza quickly defended, feeling an odd heat in her cheeks. An awkward silence passed over the two for a moment before the girl turned back to her drink and let out a soft chuckle.

"It's funny that we sometimes call men dogs," she said, "yet they're not nearly as easy to train."

"You seem to have experienced this theory first hand," Riza stated casually, her attention returning to the young lady.

"Unfortunately," she laughed.

"What's his name?" Riza asked, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. It had simply been too long since she was able to enjoy a drink with a girl friend to talk to.

"Ling Yao," the girl answered, blushing. "He's always getting into all sorts of trouble. He can be a real handful to take care of."

Riza had to laugh at that.

"What's so funny?" the young girl asked, blushing even more.

"You've perfectly described a situation I find myself in daily," she answered, still giggling a bit. When had she last had the opportunity to actually laugh honestly?

"Oh, I see how it is," the girl remarked, smirking a bit. "So what's his name?" Then it was Riza's turn to blush.

"Roy Mustang," she answered haltingly after a moment of consideration. His name felt odd rolling off her tongue so casually. The girl giggled again, breaking Riza from her thoughts.

"And how long have you known this dog?" she asked, leaning against the countertop, smiling good-naturedly.

"Too many years," Riza answered. "Ever since we were rather young."

"That's funny," the young lady answered, with an honest smile still in place. "I've known Ling since we were very young as well—just children as a matter of fact." Riza couldn't help but smile in turn. How ironic to find someone in a situation so similar to hers, and in a dusty old bar on a rainy night, of all times.

The two lapsed into silence, considering the oddness and unlikelihood of the situation. Slowly, perhaps for both, a thought occurred, and surprisingly it was Riza who voiced the thought.

"What do you do aside from take care of him?" she asked, tone slightly more reserved and somber.

"I follow him everywhere," the girl answered in-kind. "I do whatever he needs done."

"Me too," Riza whispered, draining the last of her drink. "I would follow him to Hell and back, if he wanted me to."

The girl nodded in agreement.

"Such a silly thing to do for a dog, don't you think?" she asked quietly. Riza couldn't deny the truth of her words, so she ventured into more dangerous waters.

"Yes, but I wouldn't do it for just any dog."

"No," the girl agreed quickly. "He's a very special dog." Riza looked over to see her smiling gently; gazing at the cup like it was the very face of her dog, Ling.

A rainy night like this, two strangers talking about a situation they found themselves in. A situation they thought no one else could relate to, yet they had found each other on a one in a million chance. Riza knew she'd be a fool to waste this moment, and she was tired of being played the fool.

"Do you think it's possible for someone to love her dog?" Riza whispered, the blush from earlier finding its way back to her cheeks. To her surprise, the girl's answer was quick and sure.

"Of course. If we didn't love them, then why would we go to such lengths for them?" she responded with certainty. "Sometimes they're just too stupid to realize our real intentions." Riza found herself floored by the girl's spot-on ideals. She had never said such words out loud, but perhaps this was the best time—maybe the only time—to say as much.

"He can be pretty stupid," she agreed. "But I love him dearly." The girl turned to meet Riza's gaze, their eyes both holding a youthful glimmer they assumed long forgotten. It was a glimmer of hope, of a love that never staled.

"My name is Lan Fan, by the way," she said, sticking her hand out. Riza took it and shook firmly.

"Riza Hawkeye."

"It was very nice to meet you," Lan Fan replied, pulling out some bills from her pocket.

"Let me get it," Riza insisted. "You've given me a much needed break from my dog tonight; it's really the least I could do." Lan Fan hesitated for a moment, not wanting to take advantage of a stranger's generosity.

Seeing this, Riza added on, "Let's promise to meet again someday, and then when that day comes you can pay the tab." Lan Fan looked up at the older woman in surprise, but her uncertainty melted away as she smiled back.

"Sounds like a plan," she answered. "Let's also promise to show our stupid dogs how much we care, even if they never notice."

"Agreed," Riza replied, still smiling and giving a small wave as the girl pulled up her hood and exited the sleepy tavern. As promised she paid the bill and left a short while afterwards.

Outside the rain had finally stopped its seemingly relentless pounding. The night was still damp, with the promise of more rain to follow, but for the time being the clouds shifted in the sky harmlessly. Occasionally they even dodged away from the full moon's piercing, haunting light.

It was a beautiful sight, Riza decided, the aftermath of a good rain.

"Come on Hayate, let's go home," she whispered, leading the way.

"I thought you'd never ask!"

A/N: Dedicated to all fans of these two pairings… thanks for reading!