Watch Me Dance
Title: Watch Me Dance
Author: Syv
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Royai
Theme: Arcade Games
Warning: AU
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any of the characters used in this fic. I also do not own "Dance Freaks".
Word Count: 3 323
Note: I don't know if this is popular in arcades in other countries, but here, we have this thing called the "Dance Freaks". It originated in Japan, I'm guessing, since most of the tracks are Japanese. For those who don't know it, it's similar to the DDR arcade game, except it makes use of hands mostly instead of the feet. Basically, there are these sensor things, color-coded red and blue. Red means you're supposed to pass your hand over the sensor, and blue means below. It's relatively simple, really, and fun! XD
Oh, and this is my first time to write an AU for Royai, so... please bear with me! >.<
Tick tock, tick tock. The clock struck four in the afternoon, and suddenly, much noise could be heard in the hallways of Amestris State University.
Class had just ended. There was always a flurry of activity at this time. Most students were finished with their classes for the day, while others were rushing to their next class. But on this day, there was always a bit more eagerness in the students who had just gained freedom from their academic responsibilities. After all, who didn't love Fridays? With a weekend of fun and relaxation ahead of them, even given the homework professors had assigned, the students knew that there was time to party, and so, they made plans.
In one classroom, a girl with golden blonde hair and striking amber eyes was meticulously packing her notebook and pens into her bag. Not far from her, a dark-haired boy was talking to a pretty redhead, not quiet in the least. It wasn't hard for the blonde to overhear their conversation.
"So, where did you want to go today?" the boy, dressed in a black button-up shirt and jeans, asked suavely.
"I was thinking we could walk along the shopping district, Roy," the redhead with a tight-fitting pink shirt and a denim mini-skirt practically purred.
"Of course, why not?" Roy only smirked in response.
With that short exchange, the two students walked out the door, with the girl clinging on to the boy's arm.
Riza Hawkeye, for that was the blonde woman's name, could only shake her head at what she heard and saw. Roy Mustang, the dark-haired man with the smoldering black eyes was known as the hottest man on the campus, not to mention the most infamous playboy. For every woman that dropped herself at his feet, he would date one for a day and dump her the next. And mind you, almost every woman on the campus dropped herself at his feet. He was that hot.
It wasn't long after the two students left that Riza too stood up and exited the room. She was done for the day as well, and she did have her own plans for the weekend. She conscientiously smoothened her clothes. She was wearing a tan high-neck knitted shirt on top of slightly hip-hugging dark jeans. With her light brown messenger bag slung across her shoulder, she made her way off the campus in the direction of her home.
The sakura trees lined along the campus showered Riza with their soft petals as she passed by, her thoughts on the man known as Roy. Although Riza would never be one of those women who willingly prostrated themselves on the ground in front of Roy, she couldn't help but admit to herself that she may have developed a crush on the man. Really, it couldn't be helped.
Roy had been her friend since childhood, perhaps even her best friend. He often dropped by her house when they were younger, whether it was for help with homework or just to raid her refrigerator for food. Her father had gotten used to the young boy then, even if at first, he had disliked him and tried to forbid him from staying within ten feet of Riza. She had grown up with him, and they had even shared the same group of friends in high school.
She knew he was a playboy even then, regardless of his young age. That was just the way he was, she supposed. What struck her though was how he had managed to flirt with and date every girl she knew and didn't know except for herself. Even in their group of friends in high school, with the few girls that there were, he had dated each of them at least once. Why was she the exception?
She didn't know when she had fallen for him. All she knew was that one day, she woke up finally being able to identify the reason behind that ache in her heart every time Roy would go out with yet another girl by his side. She wanted to be the one by his side, but she'd never tell anyone, especially him that. So, Riza tried her best to ignore her feelings and go on as if there really weren't any.
Riza had to pass the bustling shopping district in her town to get home. As she reached the said street, she couldn't help looking around for Roy and the redhead from her class. However, upon realizing what she was doing, she immediately shook her head and tried to push thoughts of him from her mind. She began to make her way past the people moving among the stalls trying to buy various merchandise being sold along the street. As she quickly stepped away from a man hurrying past her, she noticed the flashing lights within the building to her right. It was an arcade.
It had been a while since she'd last been in one. Unknown to most people, even to her closest friends, Riza did spend some time in arcades. She enjoyed the flashing lights and pulsing beats minus the stale air of alcohol and beer which a club would have. Her favorite game would most definitely be a gun game, maybe Time Crisis or House of the Dead. But, a game most people wouldn't ever think she'd play was that game lying right beside the glass window which a girl about her age was currently playing. It was called Dance Freak.
Deciding she had a bit of cash on hand and a little time to herself, Riza decided to let herself have some fun before heading home. She made her way into the building, waited for the girl to finish her game before quickly taking the position the young girl had just vacated. Dropping her bag at the foot of the machine, she fished in her pocket for some change and placed a few coins into the slot. She selected the Standard Mode and began to choose her songs. She chose a few songs going from an easy one then increasing in difficulty. She wanted a bit of warm-up, since it had been a long time since she last played. She didn't know if she could do as well as she used to. As the music started, she released her tension and let herself be taken in by the game.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Roy was walking along the shopping district with his latest date attached to his arm. She was one of his classmates in his last class that day, and he had let himself be dragged off to wherever she pleased, feigning interest in her. Currently, he was listening to her inane babble about something or other, merely nodding and smiling at appropriate intervals. He was really beginning to regret approving her idea of going to the shopping district. He hated crowds, and although the shopping district was a naturally crowded place, it was at its most crowded on Fridays, a piece of information he had conveniently forgotten when he accepted the suggestion.
Roy could only sigh mentally, as his date continued to chatter beside him, oblivious to his lack of attention to her. His eyes drifted to his left where flashing lights could be seen across the street. He was slightly amused by the girl dancing in front of the machine. She was good, he'd give her that. He had seen a lot of people play that game, and he knew who were really good at it and who weren't. Just as he had lost interest in what he saw, as he assumed the girl was finished, another girl took her place. Roy had to take a second glance to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. They weren't. It was Riza in front of the machine.
Without a word to his oblivious date, Roy broke away from her and made his way across the street to the arcade. Once he had successfully managed to squeeze through the throngs of people and reach the opposite side of the road, he took a deep breath and quietly entered the store. He stood not too far back from Riza and watched as she began to dance to the music.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Riza realized that it didn't take her very long to remember how to play this specific game. It was as if her body was used to playing it, even though it had been years since she had last stepped into an arcade. She wasn't complaining though. She enjoyed the way her body seemed to move itself with the music, and she had to admit, she felt good playing after a long day.
Riza had kept her eyes glued to the screen, watching as the lines of red and blue would make their way to the line at the bottom before she moved her arms in sync with the beat. She was vaguely aware that people were beginning to watch her, but she paid them no mind. Instead of letting their presence pressure her, she simply gave her best and enjoyed herself. She was so engrossed in the music, she didn't even notice that the rest of her body was beginning to dance as well, not just her arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Roy was amazed. Not only was Riza good at the game, she looked absolutely stunning while playing it. Although most of their friends could hardly imagine studious Riza in an arcade, he knew her well enough to know that she did visit the place quite a number of times. What he never knew though was that she played this kind of game. She was always more into gun games, at least that's what she played whenever she was with him. Yet, here she was, swaying in time with the music from the machine and attracting a whole lot of attention with her obvious skill and beauty.
Of all the times Roy had passed this very arcade and watched countless people playing this game, he had only witnessed a handful of really good players. Even then, none of those people matched the grace with which Riza now played. Those he had watched would move their hands with a certain stiffness, as if their hand was a knife cutting across the air above or below the sensors. Others would move with their bodies in a bit more hip hop stance. It was only Riza who moved with the grace of a dancer in a ballroom rather than someone merely standing in front of a machine.
Roy's eyes were riveted on her as her hips swayed from side to side and her feet lightly tapped the floor in time with the beat. But, it was her face that truly had him enthralled. Some of her hair had escaped from her clip and now, tendrils of it cascaded down her back and at the sides of her face. As he crept closer to her side, he could see a slight pink in her cheeks, perhaps brought about by the excitement and the effort she had exerted. Her lips curled in a small smile, one that few people ever had the privilege of seeing. What shocked him the most was the light in her eyes that put her entire face aglow. Roy's eyes softened as he realized that Riza was truly enjoying herself in that moment.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn't too long when the music finally came to an end. Riza still had a small smile even though her score wasn't too high. It had been a while since she had that much fun. Suddenly, she heard someone begin to clap, starting a round of clapping from the rest of her onlookers. She turned around and was surprised to see so many people watching her. She couldn't help the slight blush that crept across her cheeks.
It was only then that she caught sight of familiar dark eyes in the crowd. She froze as the owner of those dark eyes drew closer to her. As the applause died down and the people began to walk away, the dark-eyed man spoke to her.
"I didn't know you played, Riza," Roy remarked nonchalantly.
Finding her voice, Riza replied with a tad bit more bite than she meant, "Of course I play! We used to go to the arcade together, if you remember, Roy!"
Taken aback at her reply, Roy calmly said, "I meant this game specifically. You only used to play those gun games when we were together."
"We were never together, Roy," was Riza's immediate comeback.
The implications of this statement made both Roy's and Riza's eyes widen. She didn't mean to say that! Slowly, horror began to creep across her face as the realization of what the consequences of blurting out that truth could be. Without a second thought, Riza grabbed her bag from the floor and dashed out of the store and into the street.
Riza pushed past people in the streets, murmuring apologies along the way but never slowing her gait. She didn't even bother to look behind her to confirm if Roy had given chase. She only wanted to spend a little time enjoying herself this afternoon. She never expected Roy to see her, let alone watch her as he did. She surely didn't mean to say what she said. She had no idea why that came out of her mouth. Maybe it was because of her thoughts just before that game, or maybe it was her embarrassment at being caught by Roy, but whatever the reason, she really shouldn't have said that.
She continued to run as she left the shopping district and turned into the street where her house lay. She was only a few blocks from it now. Just as she passed by the park, a hand reached out and grabbed her. She spun around and came face to face with Roy.
The two were panting slightly, until Riza remembered she was trying to get away from him. She began to struggle against his grip, but she never realized until that moment just how strong he really was. When they were younger, she had never let him protect her, instead choosing to protect herself. In fact, there were times she would protect him. She knew he could hold his own, but she never gave a thought to exactly how well he could do just that. It seemed he was much stronger than she gave him credit for. Finally realizing her efforts to escape were futile, she just dropped her hand and cast her eyes downward.
Seeing as she had stopped struggling, Roy loosened his grasp on her just a bit, but didn't fully let go should she try to run again. The way she bowed her head in defeat tugged at Roy's heart. He didn't want to hurt her. He just wanted to find out what she meant by what she said.
"Riza?"
Receiving no answer, Roy tried again, "Riza, please look at me. I'm not trying to hurt you. I just want to know what you meant by what you said a while ago."
He waited a while in silence, and just as he was about to give up and release her, she spoke softly, "I meant exactly what I said."
Roy's eyes widened at this admission. She couldn't possibly mean...
Riza's soft voice continued, "We've been friends for how many years now. You were my closest friend ever since we were young. I watched as you dated every girl you met. Even our friends from high school, you've dated every girl at least once, every girl... but me. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I've known you the longest that you just don't see me as someone to date. Maybe it's because I'm not pretty or I'm too tomboyish that you don't see me as a girl. Maybe, maybe..."
"Enough, Riza!" Roy shouted quite suddenly. Riza was shocked into silence by his outburst.
"I'm sorry," Roy murmured apologetically, ashamed at his reaction, "I just... I didn't realize you felt that way. I was... shocked, I guess. Um, can you... can you look at me, Riza? Please?"
Riza slowly lifted her head at his request. When her eyes met his, she was rather startled to see the emotion in his eyes.
"I don't date you not because I don't see you as someone to date nor do I not see you as a girl. I think I of all people know just how much of a girl you are. I don't even know how you can say you aren't pretty. You're beautiful, Riza! You should have seen yourself dancing awhile ago! You were the most stunning sight I've ever seen, and I bet everyone who was watching you thought the same thing."
Riza blushed at Roy's last statement, but he wasn't done just yet.
"I don't know when I realized it, just how much you mean to me. The first time I dated a girl, for some reason, I kept imagining it was you. When I went to your house that day, I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid to. I thought maybe you were looking for someone else. I mean, you were always reading those romance novels and telling me about all those sweet and heroic guys. I thought I could never match up to them. Instead, I tried dating a million other girls, hoping that one of them might interest me long enough to forget about you."
Roy stopped for a while, suddenly unsure whether he should continue. Riza stared at him quietly, before prompting him to continue, "And?"
"I never found anyone," Roy admitted, "It's always been you."
The two teenagers were quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts about each other's confession.
After a few minutes, Riza suddenly began to walk towards her house, Roy's hand still clasped around her own. Roy was startled and was about to release his hold on her when he felt her tighten her grip. He spared a glance at her face then, only to find Riza's eyes staring back at him. She gave him what he thought was her sweetest smile before continuing to pull him along with her. Roy could only smile back and followed her lead.
When the two of them were by the gate to Riza's house, she let go of his hand, turned to face him and asked with a smile, "Would you like to come in for tea?"
Roy smiled back and said, "Sure."
Riza only smiled again. She turned around, unlocked the gate and, as she took a step forward, she whispered, "I love you, Roy."
Catching her words, Roy's eyes widened. His hands moved on reflex as he caught her, turned her around to face him and kissed her soundly on the lips. When they broke away, Roy tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, "I love you too, Riza."
It was Riza's turn to look startled as she blushed and buried her head by his neck. He chuckled softly at her reaction, but held her tightly against him nonetheless. It wasn't long before Riza broke away from him and headed towards the front door. She beckoned him to follow her inside. When he reached the door, she made to head inside, but his arms had wrapped around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. His breath tickled her ear as he whispered softly, "I loved watching you dance."
As Roy relaxed his hold on her to turn her around and kiss her again, Riza couldn't help but think that she would be dancing again more often now.
x-posted to royai_fiction, het_romance and anime_fanfics.
Author: Syv
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Royai
Theme: Arcade Games
Warning: AU
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any of the characters used in this fic. I also do not own "Dance Freaks".
Word Count: 3 323
Note: I don't know if this is popular in arcades in other countries, but here, we have this thing called the "Dance Freaks". It originated in Japan, I'm guessing, since most of the tracks are Japanese. For those who don't know it, it's similar to the DDR arcade game, except it makes use of hands mostly instead of the feet. Basically, there are these sensor things, color-coded red and blue. Red means you're supposed to pass your hand over the sensor, and blue means below. It's relatively simple, really, and fun! XD
Oh, and this is my first time to write an AU for Royai, so... please bear with me! >.<
Tick tock, tick tock. The clock struck four in the afternoon, and suddenly, much noise could be heard in the hallways of Amestris State University.
Class had just ended. There was always a flurry of activity at this time. Most students were finished with their classes for the day, while others were rushing to their next class. But on this day, there was always a bit more eagerness in the students who had just gained freedom from their academic responsibilities. After all, who didn't love Fridays? With a weekend of fun and relaxation ahead of them, even given the homework professors had assigned, the students knew that there was time to party, and so, they made plans.
In one classroom, a girl with golden blonde hair and striking amber eyes was meticulously packing her notebook and pens into her bag. Not far from her, a dark-haired boy was talking to a pretty redhead, not quiet in the least. It wasn't hard for the blonde to overhear their conversation.
"So, where did you want to go today?" the boy, dressed in a black button-up shirt and jeans, asked suavely.
"I was thinking we could walk along the shopping district, Roy," the redhead with a tight-fitting pink shirt and a denim mini-skirt practically purred.
"Of course, why not?" Roy only smirked in response.
With that short exchange, the two students walked out the door, with the girl clinging on to the boy's arm.
Riza Hawkeye, for that was the blonde woman's name, could only shake her head at what she heard and saw. Roy Mustang, the dark-haired man with the smoldering black eyes was known as the hottest man on the campus, not to mention the most infamous playboy. For every woman that dropped herself at his feet, he would date one for a day and dump her the next. And mind you, almost every woman on the campus dropped herself at his feet. He was that hot.
It wasn't long after the two students left that Riza too stood up and exited the room. She was done for the day as well, and she did have her own plans for the weekend. She conscientiously smoothened her clothes. She was wearing a tan high-neck knitted shirt on top of slightly hip-hugging dark jeans. With her light brown messenger bag slung across her shoulder, she made her way off the campus in the direction of her home.
The sakura trees lined along the campus showered Riza with their soft petals as she passed by, her thoughts on the man known as Roy. Although Riza would never be one of those women who willingly prostrated themselves on the ground in front of Roy, she couldn't help but admit to herself that she may have developed a crush on the man. Really, it couldn't be helped.
Roy had been her friend since childhood, perhaps even her best friend. He often dropped by her house when they were younger, whether it was for help with homework or just to raid her refrigerator for food. Her father had gotten used to the young boy then, even if at first, he had disliked him and tried to forbid him from staying within ten feet of Riza. She had grown up with him, and they had even shared the same group of friends in high school.
She knew he was a playboy even then, regardless of his young age. That was just the way he was, she supposed. What struck her though was how he had managed to flirt with and date every girl she knew and didn't know except for herself. Even in their group of friends in high school, with the few girls that there were, he had dated each of them at least once. Why was she the exception?
She didn't know when she had fallen for him. All she knew was that one day, she woke up finally being able to identify the reason behind that ache in her heart every time Roy would go out with yet another girl by his side. She wanted to be the one by his side, but she'd never tell anyone, especially him that. So, Riza tried her best to ignore her feelings and go on as if there really weren't any.
Riza had to pass the bustling shopping district in her town to get home. As she reached the said street, she couldn't help looking around for Roy and the redhead from her class. However, upon realizing what she was doing, she immediately shook her head and tried to push thoughts of him from her mind. She began to make her way past the people moving among the stalls trying to buy various merchandise being sold along the street. As she quickly stepped away from a man hurrying past her, she noticed the flashing lights within the building to her right. It was an arcade.
It had been a while since she'd last been in one. Unknown to most people, even to her closest friends, Riza did spend some time in arcades. She enjoyed the flashing lights and pulsing beats minus the stale air of alcohol and beer which a club would have. Her favorite game would most definitely be a gun game, maybe Time Crisis or House of the Dead. But, a game most people wouldn't ever think she'd play was that game lying right beside the glass window which a girl about her age was currently playing. It was called Dance Freak.
Deciding she had a bit of cash on hand and a little time to herself, Riza decided to let herself have some fun before heading home. She made her way into the building, waited for the girl to finish her game before quickly taking the position the young girl had just vacated. Dropping her bag at the foot of the machine, she fished in her pocket for some change and placed a few coins into the slot. She selected the Standard Mode and began to choose her songs. She chose a few songs going from an easy one then increasing in difficulty. She wanted a bit of warm-up, since it had been a long time since she last played. She didn't know if she could do as well as she used to. As the music started, she released her tension and let herself be taken in by the game.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Roy was walking along the shopping district with his latest date attached to his arm. She was one of his classmates in his last class that day, and he had let himself be dragged off to wherever she pleased, feigning interest in her. Currently, he was listening to her inane babble about something or other, merely nodding and smiling at appropriate intervals. He was really beginning to regret approving her idea of going to the shopping district. He hated crowds, and although the shopping district was a naturally crowded place, it was at its most crowded on Fridays, a piece of information he had conveniently forgotten when he accepted the suggestion.
Roy could only sigh mentally, as his date continued to chatter beside him, oblivious to his lack of attention to her. His eyes drifted to his left where flashing lights could be seen across the street. He was slightly amused by the girl dancing in front of the machine. She was good, he'd give her that. He had seen a lot of people play that game, and he knew who were really good at it and who weren't. Just as he had lost interest in what he saw, as he assumed the girl was finished, another girl took her place. Roy had to take a second glance to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. They weren't. It was Riza in front of the machine.
Without a word to his oblivious date, Roy broke away from her and made his way across the street to the arcade. Once he had successfully managed to squeeze through the throngs of people and reach the opposite side of the road, he took a deep breath and quietly entered the store. He stood not too far back from Riza and watched as she began to dance to the music.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Riza realized that it didn't take her very long to remember how to play this specific game. It was as if her body was used to playing it, even though it had been years since she had last stepped into an arcade. She wasn't complaining though. She enjoyed the way her body seemed to move itself with the music, and she had to admit, she felt good playing after a long day.
Riza had kept her eyes glued to the screen, watching as the lines of red and blue would make their way to the line at the bottom before she moved her arms in sync with the beat. She was vaguely aware that people were beginning to watch her, but she paid them no mind. Instead of letting their presence pressure her, she simply gave her best and enjoyed herself. She was so engrossed in the music, she didn't even notice that the rest of her body was beginning to dance as well, not just her arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Roy was amazed. Not only was Riza good at the game, she looked absolutely stunning while playing it. Although most of their friends could hardly imagine studious Riza in an arcade, he knew her well enough to know that she did visit the place quite a number of times. What he never knew though was that she played this kind of game. She was always more into gun games, at least that's what she played whenever she was with him. Yet, here she was, swaying in time with the music from the machine and attracting a whole lot of attention with her obvious skill and beauty.
Of all the times Roy had passed this very arcade and watched countless people playing this game, he had only witnessed a handful of really good players. Even then, none of those people matched the grace with which Riza now played. Those he had watched would move their hands with a certain stiffness, as if their hand was a knife cutting across the air above or below the sensors. Others would move with their bodies in a bit more hip hop stance. It was only Riza who moved with the grace of a dancer in a ballroom rather than someone merely standing in front of a machine.
Roy's eyes were riveted on her as her hips swayed from side to side and her feet lightly tapped the floor in time with the beat. But, it was her face that truly had him enthralled. Some of her hair had escaped from her clip and now, tendrils of it cascaded down her back and at the sides of her face. As he crept closer to her side, he could see a slight pink in her cheeks, perhaps brought about by the excitement and the effort she had exerted. Her lips curled in a small smile, one that few people ever had the privilege of seeing. What shocked him the most was the light in her eyes that put her entire face aglow. Roy's eyes softened as he realized that Riza was truly enjoying herself in that moment.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn't too long when the music finally came to an end. Riza still had a small smile even though her score wasn't too high. It had been a while since she had that much fun. Suddenly, she heard someone begin to clap, starting a round of clapping from the rest of her onlookers. She turned around and was surprised to see so many people watching her. She couldn't help the slight blush that crept across her cheeks.
It was only then that she caught sight of familiar dark eyes in the crowd. She froze as the owner of those dark eyes drew closer to her. As the applause died down and the people began to walk away, the dark-eyed man spoke to her.
"I didn't know you played, Riza," Roy remarked nonchalantly.
Finding her voice, Riza replied with a tad bit more bite than she meant, "Of course I play! We used to go to the arcade together, if you remember, Roy!"
Taken aback at her reply, Roy calmly said, "I meant this game specifically. You only used to play those gun games when we were together."
"We were never together, Roy," was Riza's immediate comeback.
The implications of this statement made both Roy's and Riza's eyes widen. She didn't mean to say that! Slowly, horror began to creep across her face as the realization of what the consequences of blurting out that truth could be. Without a second thought, Riza grabbed her bag from the floor and dashed out of the store and into the street.
Riza pushed past people in the streets, murmuring apologies along the way but never slowing her gait. She didn't even bother to look behind her to confirm if Roy had given chase. She only wanted to spend a little time enjoying herself this afternoon. She never expected Roy to see her, let alone watch her as he did. She surely didn't mean to say what she said. She had no idea why that came out of her mouth. Maybe it was because of her thoughts just before that game, or maybe it was her embarrassment at being caught by Roy, but whatever the reason, she really shouldn't have said that.
She continued to run as she left the shopping district and turned into the street where her house lay. She was only a few blocks from it now. Just as she passed by the park, a hand reached out and grabbed her. She spun around and came face to face with Roy.
The two were panting slightly, until Riza remembered she was trying to get away from him. She began to struggle against his grip, but she never realized until that moment just how strong he really was. When they were younger, she had never let him protect her, instead choosing to protect herself. In fact, there were times she would protect him. She knew he could hold his own, but she never gave a thought to exactly how well he could do just that. It seemed he was much stronger than she gave him credit for. Finally realizing her efforts to escape were futile, she just dropped her hand and cast her eyes downward.
Seeing as she had stopped struggling, Roy loosened his grasp on her just a bit, but didn't fully let go should she try to run again. The way she bowed her head in defeat tugged at Roy's heart. He didn't want to hurt her. He just wanted to find out what she meant by what she said.
"Riza?"
Receiving no answer, Roy tried again, "Riza, please look at me. I'm not trying to hurt you. I just want to know what you meant by what you said a while ago."
He waited a while in silence, and just as he was about to give up and release her, she spoke softly, "I meant exactly what I said."
Roy's eyes widened at this admission. She couldn't possibly mean...
Riza's soft voice continued, "We've been friends for how many years now. You were my closest friend ever since we were young. I watched as you dated every girl you met. Even our friends from high school, you've dated every girl at least once, every girl... but me. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I've known you the longest that you just don't see me as someone to date. Maybe it's because I'm not pretty or I'm too tomboyish that you don't see me as a girl. Maybe, maybe..."
"Enough, Riza!" Roy shouted quite suddenly. Riza was shocked into silence by his outburst.
"I'm sorry," Roy murmured apologetically, ashamed at his reaction, "I just... I didn't realize you felt that way. I was... shocked, I guess. Um, can you... can you look at me, Riza? Please?"
Riza slowly lifted her head at his request. When her eyes met his, she was rather startled to see the emotion in his eyes.
"I don't date you not because I don't see you as someone to date nor do I not see you as a girl. I think I of all people know just how much of a girl you are. I don't even know how you can say you aren't pretty. You're beautiful, Riza! You should have seen yourself dancing awhile ago! You were the most stunning sight I've ever seen, and I bet everyone who was watching you thought the same thing."
Riza blushed at Roy's last statement, but he wasn't done just yet.
"I don't know when I realized it, just how much you mean to me. The first time I dated a girl, for some reason, I kept imagining it was you. When I went to your house that day, I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid to. I thought maybe you were looking for someone else. I mean, you were always reading those romance novels and telling me about all those sweet and heroic guys. I thought I could never match up to them. Instead, I tried dating a million other girls, hoping that one of them might interest me long enough to forget about you."
Roy stopped for a while, suddenly unsure whether he should continue. Riza stared at him quietly, before prompting him to continue, "And?"
"I never found anyone," Roy admitted, "It's always been you."
The two teenagers were quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts about each other's confession.
After a few minutes, Riza suddenly began to walk towards her house, Roy's hand still clasped around her own. Roy was startled and was about to release his hold on her when he felt her tighten her grip. He spared a glance at her face then, only to find Riza's eyes staring back at him. She gave him what he thought was her sweetest smile before continuing to pull him along with her. Roy could only smile back and followed her lead.
When the two of them were by the gate to Riza's house, she let go of his hand, turned to face him and asked with a smile, "Would you like to come in for tea?"
Roy smiled back and said, "Sure."
Riza only smiled again. She turned around, unlocked the gate and, as she took a step forward, she whispered, "I love you, Roy."
Catching her words, Roy's eyes widened. His hands moved on reflex as he caught her, turned her around to face him and kissed her soundly on the lips. When they broke away, Roy tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, "I love you too, Riza."
It was Riza's turn to look startled as she blushed and buried her head by his neck. He chuckled softly at her reaction, but held her tightly against him nonetheless. It wasn't long before Riza broke away from him and headed towards the front door. She beckoned him to follow her inside. When he reached the door, she made to head inside, but his arms had wrapped around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. His breath tickled her ear as he whispered softly, "I loved watching you dance."
As Roy relaxed his hold on her to turn her around and kiss her again, Riza couldn't help but think that she would be dancing again more often now.
x-posted to royai_fiction, het_romance and anime_fanfics.