𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙸𝚜 - 𝚁. 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

8 - Li'l Rosie Reid

Chapter Eight

Rosemary was already settled in at her desk early Monday morning by the time most people came trickling into the office. However, it wasn't until someone who looked slightly apprehensive was pacing awkwardly near the entryway that she stopped working and glanced over after they caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Standing around six feet tall with short blond hair and bright blue eyes, Rosemary assumed he must be new. While she didn't exactly want to speak with him, it felt rude to leave him there when he was clearly unsure of where to go.

With a sigh, Rosemary stood and walked towards him, offering a friendly smile as she mustered up the courage to speak. "Is it y-your first d-d-day?"

The man, Jean Havoc, a former country boy with an easy going attitude, returned her smile. "It is. I'm not quite sure where to go, though, so I figured I'd wait here until a pretty lady took pity on me and clearly it worked since you're here now."

Rosemary scratched her warming cheek and glanced around to see if anyone was coming to retrieve the new recruit but when no one seemed to be approaching she tilted her head toward the breakroom. "Might as w-well get coffee wh-while you w-w-ait."

"Coffee sounds perfect! I'll follow your lead."

The pair had been on the receiving end of a few side-eyed looks, though Rosemary wasn't sure if it was because their newest employee was rather handsome or if they were judging her speech while she told him where the bathrooms were and where to find extra supplies if his manager wasn't prepared. Once most of the morning crowd had cleared out and retreated to their desks, Rosemary and Jean stood near the entrance to the breakroom with their drinks, keeping an eye on the entryway to see which manager would come to retrieve him.

"I'm Jean, by the way," he hummed after taking a sip of his coffee. "Do I get to know the name of my rescuer?"

Rosemary's lips curled up into a small smile but unknowing to the both of them, Roy, who'd come to retrieve his new trainee, was immediately annoyed by that. Before she could reply, their superior cleared his throat. "You must be Jean Havoc. I'm Roy Mustang and I'll be your direct supervisor. Sorry to keep you waiting," he brought his attention to Rosemary. "Thanks for showing him around, Rosemary. I'll take it from here."

"N-no w-w-way," Rosemary's eyes lit up and a grin swept across Jean's features as soon as he noticed. Rosemary wasn't exactly a common name for people their age but considering her reaction, he was certain she was the daughter of his parents' old neighbours who sold their farm to move into the city.

"Don't tell me you're li'l Rosie Reid all grown up?!" 

The blonde picked up the corners of her black charcoal grey half-circle skirt and did a lazy curtsy that made Jean laugh and pull her into a hug. "I missed you so much when you left! How the hell ya been? We have so much to catch up on."

Roy's jaw tightened while he tried to keep himself in check, his annoyance growing tenfold from how easily Jean had been able to embrace Rosemary without even a second thought. That same annoyance rivaled the sting of jealousy he felt seeing her smile so comfortably with him.

"How d-did a buh-bumpkin like y-you get here?"

"You can catch up on your own time," Roy informed with a stern voice that made Jean instantly let go of his childhood friend. "We have work to do, just as Ms.Reid does."

"Ah, of course. Sorry 'bout that, sir," Jean smiled apologetically at Roy before turning to the now blushing Rosemary. "Let's grab lunch today, Rosie. My treat."

"I'd like th-that," she nodded, scratching her warm cheek sheepishly.

Once Roy had led Jean away to the section of the office he'd be working in around the corner from the finance area, he finally glanced over at Jean. "How do you two know each other?"