#yeah let's not write for fmabb

[egoiistas]

Checkmate

A/N #1: I am so excited that @theysangastheyslew is getting fics for her art because she’s got some amazing pieces This one was specifically inspired by The Equivalence in the Exchange because I love me some passionate Royai smooches in addition to listening to Suavemente by Elvis Crespo (aaayy) 

Rated T /  Fluff Word Count: 1943 ffffff one day I’ll break 2k

Mustang loses a bet; Hawkeye is determined to stay in the East

“How long have we been playing like this, Mustang? I’d thought you have learned some moves by now.” The old man lifted his rook onto the middle of the board, eliciting a pensive look from his opponent.  

He rested his chin over a balled-up fist, anticipating the old man’s moves. “Not even a year, sir. To be completely honest with you,” Roy’s pawn moved towards the rook, a deliberate move to allow the king to escape. “I blame it on instructor error.”  

Grumman laughed jovially, sliding his tower two spaces to the right. “Yes,” he cooed. “You’ve improved, but is it enough?”  

The White Queen over took a knight approximately two turns away from checkmating his King. Roy leaned back in his chair, visibly pleased with himself. “Enough to see your strategy.”  

“You caught me!” He stroked his chin as he peered onto the chessboard and analyzing the remaining pieces. When he came back up there was a mischievous glint in his eyes, but it was visible only briefly. The light hit the surface of his glasses at an angle that it created a glare only adding more to the shift in atmosphere. “Say, why don’t we make this interesting? How about a wager?”

“Oh?” Mustang crossed his arms. “I’m listening.”

“If you win, I’d be more than happy to give you a promotion. Imagine being the youngest Colonel Amestris has ever known.”

The Lieutenant Colonel’s eyes widened and his body felt a chill disperse, half in excitement and half in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“100% serious.”

Grumman held the same look as Roy mulled it over, it made him uneasy, but the excitement still bubbled. At the same time, he wondered if this was another one of his ploys. But all in an effort to win? When he does it so effortlessly?  Roy uncrossed his arms, letting his hands to his knees and supporting him as he leaned forward “And if you win?”

“Oh ho ho. Simple. I set you up with a match.”

Roy’s lip twitched, “What do you get out of that?”

“I’d get to live vicariously through you!” Another unsettling hearty chuckle. “Consider it a Christmas present for keeping an old coot like myself young again.”

“You’re dangling a promotion in my face. This is very interesting indeed.”

“I’d say so. But it is your turn, young man.”

He sat back to look at the chessboard, Roy failed to notice when the old man had gone. It may as well been his downfall

It only took five more turns, Roy realized dejectedly as his demeanor sunk  along with his short-lived excitement of an unexpected promotion.

He gave it a good go, but eventually, the white king and queen were cornered in the opposite side of the board. Checkmate came with his king being pinned by black knight, rook, and queen. “I should have known.”

“You got too eager.” The old man said, gloating. “But it’s not all bad news, you can meet my granddaughter!”

Of course, Roy imagined a grotesque image of a young lady with the Grumman mustache and glasses. He began to clean up the pieces from the board when the General spoke again. “Your granddaughter? Isn’t that a little personal?”

The glint in his eye was back, “I have a feeling you’ll get along swimmingly, Mustang. A match made in heaven.”

“And if I break her heart?”

Grumman’s mouth dropped, “You wouldn’t do such a thing to her.”

Roy shrugged playfully, “You know my reputation, sir. It precedes me.”

He heard laughter from across the table, “Do you really think you’re the first one to come up with that facade? I know men like you, Lieutenant Colonel.”

Roy paused, looking up at him warily as Grumman innocently tucked away the chessboard under his arm. The old man stood quietly, a smirk visibly under his gray mustache. “I’ll give you a call when she’s ready.”

The Second Lieutenant stood as the General’s secretary gave her the “OK” to enter his office. It was a simple request, surely he’d be reasonable. Riza silently entered and closed the door behind her. He sat at his desk, large window behind him casting sunshine into the room.

“One second, dear.” He placed a hand up, as she saluted him. He picked up the telephone receiver on his desk and began to dial. He noticed her at attention, he gave her an inquisitive look.  He waited as the phone rang and perked when he received an answer. “Now,” He said cryptically into the telephone. “Yes, now.”

She couldn’t place it, but there was a feeling of uneasiness.

The General replaced the receiver and he stood, walking around his desk. “My apologies for that, what can I do for you?”

She was still saluting him, eyes closed, as she stated, “Sir! As you know, for General Armstrong’s transfer request to be denied, my commanding officer must submit a formal refusal.” Riza heard him mutter, “At ease, lass.” and her hand fell from her brow bone. “Permission to ask you to refuse her, sir?”

“I will.” He said simply.

Subtle relief overcame her at his response, figuring her uneasy feeling came from poor choice in last night’s dinner. She began to salute again in appreciation, “Thank yo-”

But he interrupted her. “On one condition.”

Her brow flattened, shoulders dropping. “The Lieutenant Colonel said you’d say that.” Her worry stemmed from the unknown. She hardly knew the man, but the Lieutenant Colonel trusted him and from what she’s seen, it’s obviously reciprocated.

General Grumman was quiet; lost in thought she assumed. Until his back began to face her and he brought a hand to stroke his chin.

She calmed herself, taking in a deep breath.

“Ah yes, the Lieutenant Colonel. I want you to kiss him under some mistletoe.”

Her efforts to remain calm completely flew out the door she just came through. Her mouth dropped from the words that he uttered. It brought back memories of her father’s apprentice  and her youthful crush. Hawkeye regained some of her composure as those memories felt like a lifetime ago, it might as well been.  “Kiss Mustang?” She asked him and even as she said them, it sounded so absurd.

“That’s right, my dear.” His voice was jovial, the sentence ending off with a little flair.

She felt a sweat drop at her cheek, “Why?”

“Because it will amuse me.”

“Why?” Hawkeye repeated, a little more seriously.

“Because you’re all ‘Second Lieutenant Hawkeye’ and ‘Lieutenant Colonel Mustang’” He began to flail his arms to emphasize their ranks, as if it meant something she wasn’t privy to.  Grumman clenched his fists and shot it skyward to the air, exclaiming so loudly it reverberated in the room. “And it’s Solstice.” He turned his back towards her again, crouching like an excited child. “And I have a puckish side that will not be denied!”

“Puckish?” She said softly, more to herself than to him.

She watched him stand again, composed and dignified. In a more serious tone than Hawkeye had ever heard in the entirety of their conversation, he finally said, “You want me to deny your transfer to the North? You kiss Roy Mustang on the lips for no less than one-potato, two potato… five potatoes.”

“But isn’t that-“ Riza sighed, hoping she could find a loophole. “That’s fraternization?”

“That’s the deal.” He was persistent. He rushed to his desk to pull out a mistletoe bundle attached to a string and a stick, probably to purposely place it above them. “Take it or leave it.”

“Yes, sir.” She said, defeated. It wouldn’t have to be right at this moment, maybe if she held it off long enough the old man would forget.

As her thoughts finished, the door opened from behind her, feeling the blood drain from her face. “All right sir, I’m ready for our-” Roy Mustang paused as he caught sight of her as she saluted him diligently. “Match?”

“Well! Look at that.” General Grumman announced innocently.

Hawkeye received a rough push to her shoulder blade and her legs moved her forward towards him. The mistletoe dangled in front of them, but her brown eyes stayed on him

“Mistletoe! You take a step right up to the little sprig!”

He looked at Grumman with a blanched face and his brows had taken a worried shape. If her heart wasn’t threatening to leap out if its cage, Riza would have laughed at the look on his face. A sick joke really, she thought. To blatantly fraternize by kissing her childhood friend, her superior officer, who managed to look even cuter as he turned his head to her with apologetic onyx eyes, his lips shifting into an awkward smile.

“This was the favor?” He asked. “You’re the-“

Riza swallowed her hesitance. It was now or never. If she thought about it now, she might overthink it or he might disagree. She’s heard several great things about Briggs, but nonetheless, she lurched forward aiming for his face. Her eyes closed as her lips gingerly made contact with his. He “mmph”-ed as she caught him by surprise.

The hard part was over, she figured. Her hands slid up his arms and curled her fingers around the fabric of his military coat to hold him in place for five potatoes. There was probably a red tinge to her cheeks as she felt her face grow warmer. She felt his lips curve slowly into a grin as she rested hers on his bottom lip. His tense body relaxed underneath the scrunched fabric where she held him and his lips no longer rigid against hers. She expected an awkward five seconds, Riza could have handled an awkward five seconds to stop her transfer to the North.

It began slow when his lips moved, hers naturally responded in turn, - like it was normal, like it was natural.

Before she could process what a great kisser he was, Riza felt him breathe in and he deepen the kiss. And when that wasn’t enough for him, his hand tickled her neck as he combed through her short hair with his fingers to bring her lips closer.  Riza tilted her head and she could feel something begging to growl from the depths of her chest, endorphins sending tingling sensations throughout her entire body. She could feel the flesh of her lips begin to swell as their lips caressed each other.  Her fingers clutched him tighter, her mind began to swim, completely lost in this kiss.

It wasn’t rushed, it was calm and rhythmic. Ardent, but soft. Tender. Longing.

Before she knew it, Riza felt out of breath, stepping back and deeply regretting it. Her lips still felt the sensation of his lips.

She felt a blush creep on her face and gave an embarrassingly satisfied smile. “Was that enough potatoes, sir?”

When Grumman didn’t answer immediately, she looked up, stealing a glance towards him as he blushed and smiled, looking away from them. A nervous chuckle escaped her swollen lips. The man’s face was plastered in shock, but he recovered well. Was he crying and smiling? “Plenty…” Grumman started, gleaming. “A whole damn field.”

She stole another glance at the Lieutenant Colonel, noticing he was doing the same just moments before. Riza absent-mindedly toyed with her bottom lips as her mind replayed the recent events once more for her.

“I’ll go finalize the paperwork!” It broke her from her thoughts. The mistletoe on a stick was tossed to the wayside. She looked at him and he looked at her. “Happy Solstice!” He said, slamming the door shut and leaving them to their own heated devices.

A/N #2: OKAY SO I MADE A READING ERROR WHEN I FIRST READ THIS (even though I’ve seen this 85364859 times bc i am a dork for these dorks and i still hadn’t caught it)  I INTERPRETED MATCH AS IN GRUMMAN HAD MADE A MATCH FOR MUSTANG AND YEAH YOU KNOW, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY A CHESS MATCH.  I HOPE IT’S STILL GOOD  ;-;