Royai: Unexpected

Unexpected

Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc dropped his paddle with a sigh.  He'd finally lost to Colonel Roy Mustang.  His commanding officer gave him a smug smile and twirled the table tennis paddle in his hand.  Roy Mustang was the male champion of Central HQ's annual table tennis tournament.  He wondered who was going to be the female champion.  He hoped it was someone who would give him a good challenge.  
Breda, Havoc, Fuery, Falman, Hughes, Armstrong, and Brosh were all clapping for Mustang.  He laughed.  It had been an easy win, and one that was honest to the last letter.  He'd not cheated once, though he had been on the receiving end of some vicious tricks.   Over all, a match of forty-five men ended with Roy Mustang claiming the title.  Now tomorrow he would face whoever won for the women's tournament.  He mused how fun it would be if Riza Hawkeye was his final opponent.  She would give him a challenge he could really enjoy.  
But it was probably a long shot.  He was sure Hawkeye had not even signed up.  She had showed very little interest in the idea and ignored everyone's conversation about the coming tournament.  Everyone was enjoying a few days of no work and all play.  It was part of the spring festival and there were more events coming up.  Tomorrow after the final match, a couple of other tournaments were scheduled.  
Roy left the makeshift arena and tried to head over to the women's room for a peak at their champion.  The rules were strictly set that the final contenders were not allowed to know whom they were playing against.
"If you cheat Hawkeye will kill you Chief," Havoc said shadowing the Colonel.  Roy froze and turned to see a glimmer of mischief in Havoc's bright blue eyes.  The man who was just lighting up a cigarette obviously knew something.  Havoc took a deep breath from the joint and sighed letting the smoke escape from his lips.  It swirled around his mouth and wafted away.
"Fine" Roy walked towards the doors and left for his apartment.  It was late and the early evening sky was a deep sapphire.  He walked slowly down the streets his mind reverting to the problems he was facing.   He washed them down with a glass of whiskey and showered before hitting his bed.  

Roy Mustang stood waiting for his opponent to enter the room.  He was dressed in black pants and a white short sleeved button down shirt.  He was located near the table and anxious to see whom he was going up against. Not that he was scared, just that there were many female soldiers that hated his guts in Central.  Mainly because his heart was never in the playboy things, he did.  Most could not stand his womanizing inclinations, and others had misconstrued them.  He never once claimed to love any woman.  The few who fell for his act were typically worse than those who hated his act.  
Fuhrer President King Bradley was watching the final tournament.  He had congratulated Roy on winning thus far and encouraged him to win against whoever was finally opening the door.  Roy gawked at the woman who stepped into the room to the shock of everyone there.  She slipped by the crowd and took her place at the table.  
She was wearing a short-sleeved blue blouse with a pair of black pants.  Her blond hair was done up in her usual fashion, and her brown eyes were challenging.  She smiled at everyone for show before looking back at Roy.  The man blinked before shaking his head and clearing his confusion.  Of course, Riza Hawkeye was his opponent.  Who else had eyesight like she did?   She could keep her eyes on the small white ball easily.
Roy smiled at her, and he suddenly felt nervous that he could lose.  If anyone could challenge him, it was Hawkeye.  She not only had better eyesight and aim, she knew him too well.  All those years at her father's house had bonded them together.
The match began and he served her a steady but strong ball.  She pushed it back easily.  The ball went back and forth for a solid five minutes before the first point was gained.  Roy backhanded the ball back to Riza this time putting a spin on it.  It shot for the corner and bounced off the edge before hitting the floor.  Some quiet cheering and a sober glance from Riza rewarded him.  
In honesty, they had been testing each other the past five minutes.  Each pushing the other's abilities to see how far they could go and where their weaknesses lied.  Roy had actually taken a great risk in backhanding it with the speed and force he had.  If she had returned it, he would have been unable to save it.
Again, he served and Riza took more of an offensive stance this time, pushing at the places, she knew he was weak.   He managed a few close shaves and almost lost it once.  He returned it with a solid smack, but Riza was ready to prove she was a challenge.  With that, she burned it back and he stared at her as the point bell rang.  Riza smiled at his annoyed gape.  
A few more rounds of long streaks ended in sudden flashes of heated competition.  An hour passed and they were tied at eleven.  The game went to twenty-one points to win.  They had a long way to go.  Some of the less interested crowd had left claiming that the game would end in a draw.  Neither one could beat the other.  
Roy however, was determined to prove he was better than Riza; it was not to do with his masculinity, or the fact that she was always reminding him of his shortcomings.  He was just getting competitive and confident if he could maneuver the ball out of her sight just enough times she would lose to him. It was purely an in the moment need to beat his opponent.
Trying to find an opening, they went fifteen minutes without a single score.  The remaining audience was talking about them.  "No wonder he has her under him, she's got all his moves checked and countered" he heard someone whisper.  
"Maybe she just knows what to expect from him" it was Havoc who said this.  Roy decided to be unpredictable. He made a slight flicking movement before hitting the ball and Riza had barely moved to his bluff, but she just caught herself.   The ball came back to him and he smashed it.  It flew with such speed and force Riza refused to go after it.   Roy ignored her eyes; he did not need to see her famous glare.  He had seen it enough in his life already.  
Two and a half hours of game and the two were growing tired.  Roy's fingers ached and his wrist burned from so much use.  He wiped the sweat from his forehead and prepared for Riza's serve.  She too was sweating, and her eyes were becoming dull.  She was tired of this game.  The ball flew at him as she aced him on the serve.  She only needed two points to beat him.  The score was nineteen to eighteen.  
Roy swallowed and watched her closely.  She served, this time it was a spinner.  He adjusted just in time to smack the ball back to her.  She faltered and the point was his.  It was honestly anyone's game.
Riza served and he again used all his effort to send it rushing back.  She caught it with a gentle push.  The ball barely came back over the net and bounced twice on his side.  She smiled as she was awarded the point.  Roy glared at her, and she almost laughed.  
Roy took back over his serve and tried to ace her again.  The return stroke came too fast and he barely saved himself.  However, he tripped still and he hurried up just in time to hit the ball back.  Riza was smiling now.  But it was not a pleasant smile; it was the smile of someone who had the advantage.  
Riza's return was slow and he thought it was the perfect set up for a burner.  Nope.  The ball never hit Riza's half of the table before dropping to the floor.  She smirked as he realized he'd just lost.
Roy dropped his paddle and watched the ball roll away.  He ran a hand through his hair disbelieving that he had lost to her.   His other men were cheering honestly they supported them both.  Of course, Rebecca Catalina and Maria Ross were very well pleased.  The girls had won this year.  Roy walked over to Riza to shake her hand in congratulations.  
"I didn't know you played table tennis," he whispered.
"I don't, but I thought it might be fun to try" she replied in a hushed tone.
Bradley clapped and left, he had better things to do now.
"I didn't expect we'd be playing each other," Roy admitted.
"That's why it worked so well" Riza smiled, "you had no idea I was playing, and you had absolutely no experience playing or watching me"
Roy smiled ironically.  "You do the most unexpected things sometimes" he commented.  Riza nodded as she was handed a lame and ridiculous trophy she would probably hide in her closet for years.  That finished she turned to walk away, but Roy stopped her.
"So just how much of the unexpected can I expect from you?"  He asked walking backwards so he could face her.  
"Honestly I don't even know" she replied not caring to tell him, he was going to trip over a folding chair.  He hit it and backwards somersaulted over it in a heap.  The chair and Roy hit the floor tangled up.  Riza laughed then, it was so unexpected Roy joined in.  Never had he heard her laugh like that while on military grounds.  It was just as unexpected as her decision to join the tournament.