FicWad

another fic written for hallidae on lj.
Disclaimer- dont own. merely borrowing. no profit made.





'You wanted this. You wanted to be of use, wanted to be useful...you wanted this...' It was a determined mantra, and currently it was the only thing keeping Havoc from trying his luck at lunging at the smug bastard sitting across from him.

Well, to be fair, the fact he would lunge only as far as he could reach before having to resort to a graceless sort of flopping helped maintain some sort of restraint. On top of all the indignities he was currently forced to deal with...he really didn't need to add anything else. And he damn well didn't need to give the dark eyed asshole across from him anything else to smirk about.

"Like something you see?"

Havoc jerked back, the fact he had been staring brought to his attention. "The hell?"

"Tsk, tsk. Watch your mouth, sir. I don't think that language is suitable in this situation."

'You're perfectly right, sir. Why use foul language when I could just punch you in those perfect white teeth? The sentiment being expressed is the same...' Havoc gritted his teeth in a desperate attempt to keep his inner monologue exclusively inner. "My apologies...sir."

"Ah! Much better."

There it was; that smile again. It was half appraisal, half approval, and Havoc couldn't shake the feeling he was in the same situation faced by horses at a fair.

"They say you are to be my personal...liaison."

That word should never have sounded so dirty. Hell, Havoc had to invent connotations for it on the spot in order to make some sort of obscene sense out of that slight hesitation; the way the man's accent caressed the word in all the wrong ways.

It made a shiver creep its way down his spine.

Though, at least there wasn't any pity drifting through those gleaming, grinning eyes.

"Yes. I'm your liaison." Havoc sketched a salute, which still felt incredibly inappropriate to be doing while seated.

"So, as my liaison your duties are...?"

Havoc wasn't sure if he liked the shrewd question that dangled at the end of the other man's speech, an inquiry that had more of a searching feel to it than an honest question. He couldn't help but feel he was being inexorably herded into some sort of verbal trap. Damn that informal, shoddy briefing...the Higher Ups had not thought to mention his charge had Mustang's mind and Ed's wicked smile...Protocol. Had to stick to protocol or he would be crawling home, rather literally, to a benign, boring life as just another crippled civilian. "Well, sir, anything you need really. Language, directions, cultural explanations...you name it, I do it." It sounded so...touristy when said aloud...

What jerked Havoc out of his inner disdain for his current position was the other man's voice far too close, close enough that his breath was warm on Havoc's face when he spoke. "I see. Anything."

Now there was a look Havoc recognized, and it set his stomach roiling in a frantic dance: one part smug security, one part sensual curiosity, with a good measure of amusement thrown in for spice. Havoc had never, even in his most elaborate nightmares, had that look used on him. It was the smugness that cinched it, allowed Havoc a full grasp on his situation.

He had to play along with the nice foreigner, lest he be tossed out on his ass. To prove his usefulness to the military, to appear useful he would have to...Havoc met the other man's eyes with a growing sense of horror. Oh, yes, the foreigner had assessed the situation, most likely long before he had met the immobile man settled in a chair across from him.

Havoc changed his mind. He felt less like a horse, more like a rabbit right before the snare it had accidentally wandered into whipped it into the air. Oh. Crap.

"Was there...something you had in mind, sir?"

"Call me Ling." The man all but purred. "No need to be so formal."

No need indeed...Havoc imagined the sound of the trap pulling shut as he reached out and shook Ling's proffered hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Ling."

"The pleasure's all mine."

I'm sure it is. Aw, hell...