dragonimp

Title: Following Smoke
Author:

dragonimp
Rating: PG
Genre: Fluff
Pairing: Light Havoc/Roy
Warnings: Spoilers up through ch. 102
Summary: Social functions were not as easy as they used to be.
Notes: Edits are currently eating away my brain, so

seaweed_fma gave me the prompt of "cigarettes" for some post-manga Havoc/Roy.

"Eh, I'm sure you're right."

The general's tone was just a shade too patronizing and Roy gave him a tight smile. "If you check the military archives, I think you'll see what I mean."

"Sure, sure."

He flinched in surprise as the other man clumsily patted his arm, gritting his teeth behind his smile. In the past he would've been keeping an eye out for a convenient excuse to slip away from the intoxicated general, but it wasn't so simple now.

Social functions were not as easy as they used to be. Voices tended to blend into each other in a crowd and most other auditory cues were lost in the shuffle of bodies and the clinking of tableware. Roy supposed it would get easier with time, but right now he felt unanchored. It wasn't that he couldn't deal with it—he actually thought he was handling himself pretty well, considering that this was his first large gathering since that day—but it was taxing. But he'd made a commitment to his country, and if functions like this would help the fledgeling government, then this is where he needed to be. Even if it did leave him feeling off-balance and vulnerable.

Beneath the onslaught of smells he'd given up trying to distinguish came the faint hint of another odor, harsh but as comforting as a favorite coat. Roy smiled, straining his ears until he could just pick out the scuff of rubber wheels, distinct among the leather soles of dress shoes and the click of heels.

"You'll have to excuse me, General. Someone's just arrived whom I want to talk to."

"But how could you. . . ."

Roy left the flustered general with a polite tip of his head, before turning to maneuver through the crowd, quite literally following his nose. It wasn't long before the end of his cane tapped against the metal frame of a chair.

"You're late," he observed.

He moved the cane out of the way as Havoc turned to face him. "Got held up." There was a brief pause, but just as Roy was about to inquire the other man snickered. "You do know you freak people when you do that."

He smirked. "Does he really look that startled?"

"More like stunned."

"I suppose I shouldn't say this, but—good." They both chuckled at that.

Roy reached out and found a shoulder, solid and reassuring beneath his hand, and quietly added, "Don't ever switch brands."

Havoc squeezed his arm. "Wasn't planning on it."