Roy didn't realize that she was the center of his dream until he was faced with losing her forever.
Written for Royai Week Day 1: Dreams
Newly-appointed Fuhrer Roy Mustang waved to the cheering people of Amestris as he descended the steps of the outdoor stage, walking toward the cavalcade of cars that would escort him to his first official night in the Fuhrer's mansion. He grinned as he waved, finally feeling like he could take a breath for the first time in a very long period.
He didn't need to see Captain Riza Hawkeye to know she was there, half a step behind him and slightly to the left; she was close enough that he could almost feel the warmth coming from her body. She was at his side, where she belonged, and where she would stay on as his assistant as he led Amestris into a better future. He looked back at her and grinned, earning a small smile in return before a tilt of her head indicated that he should focus on looking forward rather than back towards her.
This was it. They had done it. The planning, the organizing, and the dreaming had all led up to this. Roy Mustang had finally become Fuhrer; he could finally embark on making the necessary changes to the country that should have been made long ago, in a nation that never should have been military-ruled. Once he had set Amestris on the right course, he planned to change that, too. And he knew that he already had the support of the person he craved it from the most, the woman right behind him. He had hoped and dreamed of this opportunity for so long that it hardly felt real. The sky was so clear and everything was so bright that it might as well have been a dream.
It was unclear which happened first - the wave of gold in front of Roy's face, or the sound of a gunshot ringing out amongst the people's cheers. The moment that Roy realized that the gold was the hair of Riza Hawkeye, suddenly in front of him, was the moment he registered what the simultaneous sound was. It was also the moment that Riza's body crashed into his, forced back from the impact of the bullet that had been meant for him.
Catching his captain as she fell, Roy's felt his dreams shatter.
"Someone, get a medic!" Roy found himself shouting. Glancing down with dread, he quickly observed the hole in her uniform, in the center of her chest. His eyes returned to her face, which was clenched in pain. "Riza, hang in there!" Where was that medic? The team of bodyguards that had been assigned to him had already encircled the pair, ensuring that no further attacks would get through. The cheers of the people had turned into screams and shouts of confusion and horror. Roy clenched the hand of the woman in front of him. "Riza, please… I can't do this without you."
It was the first time he had even admitted it to himself, really. All of his plans for the future of Amestris were only possible with her at his side. That's how they had planned them. That was the dream. Her and him, setting everything right. Beneath his panic, he knew that the plans could be reworked, but he didn't want to do that. He couldn't bear to do that. "Riza you have to make it through this! I can't lead Amestris to a better future without you; I can't even imagine my own future without you!" He felt tears building up in his eyes. He was useless to help her, as always. "I love you, Riza Hawkeye."
Riza's eyes, which had been shut against the pain up to this point, opened and stared at Roy in shock and confusion. She began to gasp for air, opening and closing her mouth as she wheezed as if she was trying to say something.
"Riza, no! A medic will be here soon, I'm sure! You need to conserve your energy!" He leaned his forehead against hers, feeling her body jerk against him as she struggled for air. Her voice, when it came to her, was a rasped whisper.
"I'm wearing a vest, you dumbass."
Roy pulled away from her, confused by her words. "What?"
"I'm wearing a bullet-proof vest, idiot!" She shouted, having finally regained her breath.
Roy looked back down at the bullet hole. In his panic, he had failed to notice the lack of blood coming from her supposed wound. He slowly stood up, helping her to do so as well by grasping her elbow. He kept hold of her, making sure she maintained her balance. He was beginning to realize that her reddened face, which he had assumed to be a result from lack of air, might actually be a reaction to his very public profession of love to her just moments before. He straightened, feeling his own face grown warm as it dawned on him that half of Amestris probably knew by now that he loved Riza Hawkeye.
"Captain Hawkeye, I-"
"Just kiss already!" Jean Havoc's voice loudly called out amidst the murmurs of the onlookers.
Riza glared at Roy. "Follow through with that, and I will succeed where the assassin failed."
One of the bodyguards chuckled beside them, unfazed by Riza's threat on the new Fuhrer's life. They had been assigned to Roy since it was announced that he would succeed Grumman as Fuhrer, and they already knew that Riza's threats were commonplace… and often deserved.
"Sir, the gunman has been apprehended." A bodyguard, who must have slipped away to catch the culprit, rejoined his comrades in the circle around Roy and Riza. "It seems he harbors resentment toward you for your efforts in rebuilding Ishval."
Roy nodded. Right now, he didn't care much about the person who had shot at him. After his panic over Riza, he was taking a moment to let relief wash over him. She was okay. Their dreams remained intact. "Thank you. We'll continue home, then."
The guards turned in unison and continued escorting Roy and Riza to the car. The people of Amestris began to cheer once more, having realized that everything was okay.
Riza continued to glare at him once they were in the car. "You really are an idiot."
"I was worried. I thought you might die."
"It's good that I didn't; the last thing Amestris needs is a leader who foolishly runs his mouth like you did back there. I need to stick around to keep you from doing that again." Riza began to cross her arms across her chest, but abandoned the movement with a wince.
"I embarrassed you. I'm sorry." He took her hand and ran his thumb across her knuckles, briefly bringing the hand to his mouth to lightly kiss it. "Forgive me?"
Riza's brow furrowed as she watched him, chewing the inside of her lower lip while in deep thought. "For what it's worth, my dreams would be shattered too, if I lost you. Not only because I need you as Fuhrer for those dreams to happen, but because I can't imagine a future without you, either. It doesn't exist in any of my dreams. That would be a nightmare."
Roy grinned. "So you love me, too?"
Riza looked exasperated. "It's taken you this long to figure that out? Again, you really are an idiot." She leaned toward him and pressed her lips to his cheek. "Of course I love you." Roy felt a blush returning to his face. Riza sat back, wincing again as she did so.
"You're going to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning."
"I'm fine."
"You might have a broken rib - at least let a doctor see you."
"No."
"Well, the bullet did hit the center of your chest. I could always kiss it better." His grin became mischievous.
Riza raised her right eyebrow before responding. "I'll see a doctor."
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